Not judging, just making a calculated observation. That is one of those dog lovers photos that gets passed around facebook/interwebs. I just think it’s unlikely to be candid.
That said, saddling a panhandler with a dog seems to me to be another one of those well-intentioned but stupid ideas. Panhandlers work the street and giving them a dog and rather a lot of money to supposedly care for the dog/gain a friend(?) is not going to turn out like they plan. They may have a couple of success stories, but it’s far more likely IMHO that the money will primarily not be spent on the dog, and the dog will be a prop at best.
If you are having trouble taking care of yourself, do you really need/want the responsibility of an animal as well? Especially if you may not have a home? Couldn’t that money be better spent on coping skills training, job training, food, clothing, medication, mentoring, whatever?
Especially since often shelter dogs have behavior problems, are of indeterminate temperament, etc etc. I think they may have said puppies but that makes even less sense to me.
I agree...giving panhandlers a living creature to care for is stupidity beyond the limits of stupid.
I’ve seen too many panhandlers close up, having worked in downtown Las Vegas, and I learned quickly not to carry cash. If I were having a bad day, it was not uncommon for me to tell them to “get a job.” Of course, THAT got some colorful responses!