Working together to create pet-inclusive homelessness support services

StreetVet developed the Accredited Hostel & Day Centre Scheme as an extension of our outreach work - to support organisations, charities and communities who want their services to be pet-inclusive.

Our mission is clear: to keep people and their pets experiencing homelessness together.  Through our accreditation programme, we enable pet-inclusive access to temporary accommodation and essential services, while supporting people and their animals on the journey into independent living, without having to face an impossible choice of giving up the companion they depend on. 

Want to become a StreetVet accredited pet-inclusive service? 
Email hostels@streetvet.org.uk to find out more.

Three people sitting with a black-and-white dog, holding a StreetVet Accredited Hostel certificate in front of a wall painted with red poppies.

What is the StreetVet accredited hostel scheme

A national programme supporting hostels, temporary accommodation providers, and other homelessness support services to welcome people and pets together — in a safe, supported and animal-welfare-led way. 

The scheme provides wraparound support for accredited sites - from staff training through our eLearning platform, to practical pet provisions and veterinary pathways, including 24/7 out-of-hours support for registered StreetVet patients. 

StreetVet supports dogs, cats and other companion animals. 

Why it was started 

Those experiencing homelessness with a pet face an extra barrier when trying to access accommodation: they are often asked to make a choice between having a safe place to sleep and a roof over their head and their pet - a choice no one should ever have to make.

For many having to make this choice is a reality. A choice that many pet owners experiencing homelessness refuse, declining accommodation that they can't access with their beloved companion. This can mean they are then classed as “intentionally homeless”, with no further help offered to find suitable housing. 

StreetVet created this scheme to help break down these barriers - supporting accommodation providers to become pet-inclusive, with the staff training, policies and clinical support needed to do it safely. 

In practice, the scheme helps by: 

  • Removing a major barrier so individuals can accept a place to stay without giving up their pet  

  • Keeping pets and owners together during safer transitions off the street  

  • Supporting stability and wellbeing by protecting the human–animal bond  

  • Helping pets stay healthy in a hostel setting with welfare guidance, the provision of daily pet essentials and access to clinical support  

  • Reducing refusals and uncertainty by giving staff clear policies, training and support  

Black-and-white cat on a wooden shelf in a StreetVet accredited hostel.

Hostel Scheme Benefits

Hostels and temporary accommodation providers accredited by the StreetVet Accredited Hostel Scheme receive the following support enabling them to implement positive pet policies and become pet-inclusive in a safe, supported and animal welfare led way:

  • Educational eLearning course for staff  

  • Temporary Accommodation Pet Policy 

  • Provision of pet essentials

  • Monthly pet food deliveries 

  • StreetVet patient registration (optional) 

  • Funded in-practice veterinary diagnostics and surgery 

  • Pet friendly transport 

  • Telemedicine triage service 

  • 24 hours emergency free phone number 

  • Emergency kennelling & boarding 

  • Pet behaviour advice 

  • Official Accreditation Certificate 

  • Joint Media & PR

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StreetVet's Accredited Hostel Scheme Explained

Watch our video

Day Centre Scheme

The StreetVet Day Centre Scheme supports homelessness services to become pet-inclusive by providing accredited sites with a tailored package of benefits, including the tools, resources and guidance needed to be able to welcome people and their pets together.

How it helps those experiencing homelessness with a pet

For many people, a pet isn’t “extra” - it’s family. The scheme helps by enabling accredited sites to be warm, welcoming places for pets and owners together. 

Because staff are supported and registered StreetVet patients can access veterinary care and provisions, it reduces stress for both owners and the support teams. People know there is always someone they can turn to for advice, support and clinical guidance. 

In practice, the scheme helps by: 

  • Removing a major barrier so people can access the essential services they need with their pet 

  • Keeping pets and owners together during safer transitions off the street  

  • Supporting stability and wellbeing by protecting the human–animal bond  

  • Helping pets stay healthy with welfare guidance and access to clinical support (eligibility criteria applies) 

  • Reducing uncertainty by giving staff a pet policy, guidance and support

A happy dog lying on the floor with her tongue out looking at the camera

Day Centre Benefits

StreetVet accredited day centres and other homelessness support services receive the following benefits enabling them to implement positive pet policies and become pet-inclusive in a safe, supported and animal welfare led way: 

  • Day Centre Pet Policies

  • Provision of pet essentials 

  • Monthly pet food deliveries 

  • Telemedicine triage service 

  • Official Accreditation Certificate 

  • Joint Media & PR 

 

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StreetVet Accredited Hostel & Day Centre Scheme in Numbers

502
Pets supported
329
Staff trained by eLearning
81
Accredited sites
105
Clients and pets helped into independent living

Accreditation process

Becoming a StreetVet accredited pet-inclusive facility is designed to be straightforward, supportive and practical

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  • 01

    Initial conversation

    You contact us (or we reach out) to explore whether the scheme is right for your service. 

  • 02

    Scheme pack shared

    We share our pet policy, draft agreement and an overview of scheme support. 

  • 03

    Pre-accreditation visit (in person)

    We visit your site to talk through day-to-day operations and check the environment is safe for pets (e.g., secure windows, safe storage, basic hazards). If needed, we’ll recommend simple actions and timeframes.  

  • 04

    Sign up & set-up

    Once the agreement is signed, we begin onboarding - setting up training, support pathways, provisions and (where applicable) StreetVet registrations. 

  • 05

    StreetVet pet registrations

    Where appropriate, pets can be registered with StreetVet so they can access additional clinical support and emergency pathways. 

  • 06

    Official accreditation visit & certificate

    We confirm key actions have been implemented and issue your accreditation certificate

FAQs

Help make pet-inclusive temporary accommodation and homelessness support services possible.

If you’re a hostel, temporary accommodation provider, day centre, local authority or other homelessness support service and want to become pet inclusive, we’d love to hear from you.

Get involved

Help StreetVet be there for every pet and owner experiencing homelessness, keeping them together when it matters most. Your support delivers vital, free veterinary care — take action today and change lives.