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It’s cold outside, so bring your pets in. Make sure your pets have a warm place to sleep. Make sure your pets have food and water. Don’t let your pets freeze to death by leaving them in these Arctic temperatures, where hypothermia sets in quickly. 

We worry about cats and dogs, and rightly so. I wonder if we can apply the same worry to human beings.

There is no denying that it’s been frigid outdoors. Going out in the morning to start your vehicle can make your nose feel like it’s frozen. We start our cars and run quickly back inside our homes to stay warm while the car heats up and we can comfortably drive to our destinations. 

But what if you live in your car? What if there is no starting it up so it can be warm, or you only have a few dollars for fuel, so you ration how often you start your vehicle so you can stay warm through the night?

That is the reality for some Allen Countians. They live in their cars. 

You would think that would be as unlucky as it can be. But then there are those who don’t even have a vehicle for shelter.

Homelessness is real in Allen County. Where do the homeless go during the day? They walk to warm places--the library or the banks. They sit at McDonald’s, then do it all over again the next day. 

If they are quiet, can stay. Unfortunately, one of the reasons for homelessness is mental illness. Does this mean that a mentally ill homeless person should be treated in a less humane way? Sometimes in Iola, it means exactly that.

Is it dangerous to make sure a mentally ill person who is homeless has socks on their feet, a hat, a warm coat, gloves, something hot to drink and eat? Not anymore dangerous than warming up a dog in your garage and giving them water and food. Not more than harboring a free spirited cat for a bit on your back porch while it gets out of the cold. Granted a homeless person may seem scary, they don’t have a home so most are a little dirty, sometimes they smell funky, they can be a little angry or timid, a lot like that dog that you are feeling sorry for. Most are homeless because of situations that any of us could find ourselves in. Investments failing, jobs folding, factories shutting down, bankruptcy, divorce, death, mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse and a myriad other situations that we all skid right along the top, with a different outcome. 

Dogs and cats are lucky. They seem cute and adorable, even friendly. They don’t talk about random horrible things that you don’t have time to listen to. You won’t give a homeless person a hug but you will let a stray dog that you have fed and warmed up lick you on the face. Please, let’s do our best for all living creatures. Even the ones that you want to blame for their situation. If you are on the police department, sheriff’s department or highway patrol, don’t just drop a homeless person off and tell them to call Humanity House. Be decent enough to bring them here, save them the walk in this cold. If a homeless person is harmless but behaving a little wackadoo, don’t kick them out in the cold and give them our address, bring them to a quiet corner, give them something to drink and call us. We don’t mind the strays. Kindness Matters!

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