Villanova University professor Stephanie Sena wants to ensure that homeless people never have to choose between their pets and a warm shelter for the night, writes Michelle Neff for One Green Planet.

While many people have tried to help the homeless in Philadelphia by offering free meals, haircuts, and job opportunities, very few shelters accept pets.

Many homeless would “rather stay out on the street and sometimes that means freeze out on the street rather than be separated from their only companion,” said Sena.

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Sena launched the Student-Run Emergency Housing Unit of Philadelphia with her students at Villanova. The organization has run shelters out of churches for the last six years, but now wants to create a permanent solution.

SREHUP plans to buy its own property to shelter both people and their animal companions.

“We have institutional knowledge of what it takes to run a shelter, and get people back on their feet,” said Sena. “But what we really need now is a building.”

The goal is to raise $75,000 to open the groundbreaking shelter. Donations can be made at the group’s fundraising page.

Read more about Professor Sena’s campaign at One Green Planet by clicking here.

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