Nonprofit brings veterinary care to pets at Bellingham homeless shelter

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- When you see homeless people around Western Washington, you often see them with their pets.

For many people experiencing homelessness, their pet is their only companion.

Now, a local nonprofit is making sure some of those animals get the care they need.

Bellingham's Lighthouse Mission, the organization that cares for the homeless in Bellingham, has partnered with Pets for the Homeless to bring veterinary care to the animals that belong to people experiencing homelessness.

Shelter workers told Q13 that a lot of Bellingham's homeless population wouldn't seek help from a shelter if they weren't allowed to bring their pets.

Pets for the Homeless has provided more than a million dollars for animal medical expenses.