Inside St Petrock’s: Supporting People and Their Dogs Through Homelessness

For the Spring/Summer edition of the Together Through Homelessness newsletter, Abigail met with Emma Jones, Head of Community Relations and Fundraising at Endorsed service St Petrock’s, to talk about the power of the human-animal bond and supporting dog owners experiencing homelessness.

Emma describes St Petrock’s as a small, incredibly special charity, where the connection between people and their dogs is respected and supported. Emma reflects on the love and loyalty she sees daily between the clients they support and their dogs.

Thanks to the support from Dogs Trust’s endorsement scheme, the centre continues to be a welcoming, non-judgmental space for all—dogs included. For Emma, it’s these moments of care and compassion that show why the work we all do matters so deeply.

Hello! Shall we dive straight in? Tell us a bit about yourself, your role, and the service you work for. 
Sure! My name is Emma Jones, I’m the Head of Community Relations and my role is to spread the word about the amazing work that St. Petrock’s does. I’ve worked for charities all my life, from National Trust to Air Ambulances. St Petrock’s is the smallest charity I've ever worked in and it is inspiring, sometimes heart breaking and often heart warming. It's not just a job, this charity is a very special place. One of the things I noticed when I was applying for the role was how closely they work with Dogs Trust! I thought that is fantastic.

Wow! That’s so wonderful to hear. What do you find most fulfilling about supporting people experiencing homelessness and their dogs?  
The part I find the most fulfilling is seeing that no matter how hard someone is struggling in life, their dog is their rock and their companion, their friend. Seeing that relationship between the owner and their dog is very special. There's nothing like it. Clients will come in with their dog,  won't necessarily acknowledge us but they'll make sure their dog is okay. I think that just shows that no matter how hard life is, dogs still get our hearts and love. Dogs are so important, and  in the centre, they’re the leveller.

So, we’ve talked a bit about the positives, but what are some challenges you have seen when supporting dog owners experiencing homelessness? 
That dog will always come first, however that must be a challenge sometimes. To have to think, where am I going get food for them? Is my dog too cold? Where am I going to get clean water? It's not easy, you aren't allowed into most cafes with a dog or people don't think to buy you a bottle of water for your dog. It’s that sort of thing and that's where St Petrock’s comes in. As soon as we open the doors at half past eight in the morning, people are coming in with their dogs. They know that they can have food, warm their dog up, let the dog sleep. It can feel safe, it can get petted, it can get everything it needs to recharge just like its owner.

How has St Petrock’s day centre benefitted from being Endorsed through Dogs Trust’s Together Through Homelessness Scheme? 
It definitely means that everyone is welcome.  St. Petrock’s is a non-judgmental, welcoming space.  We are there as a calm place that everybody needs. More than ever, if you are homeless, you may need this because when you're out there, it may feel like everyone is judging you. So, we are welcoming to everyone – and that includes your dog. The thought of penalising someone, because they have a dog, I think is very, very sad. It will have such a terrible knock on effect and the dog would suffer. Also, that person would suffer because they would go without even more, just to make sure their dog is okay.

Could you share a particular story of a dog owner you’ve supported that stands out to you? I wanted to tell you about a day when it was really, really cold, a few weeks ago. People were coming in and I'm not joking, they were grey, their hands were grey, and it was as though they were in shock from the freezing cold. It takes a few hours to actually warm up your core properly, so the team were handing out hot water bottles, hot drinks and blankets. A client came in with his dog, and she's a beautiful, big, sort of brindled Staffy cross. He was freezing, we gave him blankets, and the first thing he did was wrap his dog up.  I thought, oh my gosh, it is so important they are together, and it really got me. The fact that he wrapped the blanket round and round her and made sure she was alright before himself, blew me away. Also watching the team in action, with the food, the water, the blanket on the floor, making sure she was okay as well as her owner. That care, it was very beautiful. She was smiling, curled up on her blanket by his feet and I was just thinking yeah, that's why we do it. 

St Petrock’s day centre in Exeter’s Cathedral Yard is open every weekday, providing rough-sleeper survival services and homelessness support. Your support helps provide a safe, welcoming space for people experiencing homelessness and their dogs. Whether it’s donating, sharing this interview, or simply learning more about homelessness and dog ownership—every action makes a difference. www.stpetrocks.org.uk

If you work for an endorsed service and want to celebrate the amazing work you're doing to support dog owners, we'd love to hear from you. Whether it's sharing stories, highlighting challenges you’ve overcome, or showing the impact of your support, your experiences help inspire and strengthen the Together Through Homelessness community. Get in touch—we're in this together.