Treating Pets Improves Health Care for Homeless Youth
Mar 10, 2026
At New Horizons Youth Shelter in Seattle, young people can bring their pets in for a veterinary checkup and also get care for themselves, the Seattle Times reports. One Health Clinic practices an integrated approach to treating people and their pets. In multidisciplinary teams, veterinarians work with human healthcare providers. When their pets are cared for, young people who are homeless (and more likely to experience chronic illness) are more likely to seek help with their own medical issues. A study from the University of Washington and Washington State University, which co-run the One Health clinic, found in a three-year period, 80% of the young clients who came to the clinic received medical care — even though about 70% only intended to get help for their pets. This integrative approach helps pave the way to getting more regular health care for a vulnerable population.
At New Horizons Youth Shelter in Seattle, young people can bring their pets in for a veterinary checkup and also get care for themselves, the Seattle Times reports. One Health Clinic practices an integrated approach to treating people and their pets. In multidisciplinary teams, veterinarians work with human healthcare providers. When their pets are cared for, young people who are homeless (and more likely to experience chronic illness) are more likely to seek help with their own medical issues. A study from the University of Washington and Washington State University, which co-run the One Health clinic, found in a three-year period, 80% of the young clients who came to the clinic received medical care — even though about 70% only intended to get help for their pets. This integrative approach helps pave the way to getting more regular health care for a vulnerable population.