Everyday Heroes: The Compassionate ‘Street Vet’ Providing Free Care For Homeless Pets

As the old saying goes, not all heroes wear capes. Instead, there are some heroes that roam the streets of their local communities, providing free medical assistance to homeless pets. One hero like this is Dr. Kwane Stewart, an experienced veterinarian who is consistently on the lookout for street pets that need healthcare. 

Dr. Kwane Stewart, a 49-year-old veterinarian from California, takes it to the streets with his over 20 years of veterinarian experience to try and make a difference in his community. Whenever Stewart has time to himself and sees homeless pets in need, he provides his years of expertise to help them.

Kwane will often mean look for pets in need on his way home from work, and even when he is not working, he always has his medical bag handy, ready to help whenever he sees a pet that requires healthcare support. 

While Stewart has taken care of many pets throughout his time as the ‘Street Vet,’ one of his most famous patients was Crazy Girl, a dachshund from San Diego, California. Crazy Girl was owned by a man named Mike, who had been experiencing homelessness in the area for just over two years.

Stewart says that he has experienced many emotions while working out on the streets, and has heard some of the most genuine stories of compassion, struggle, hope, and love. Overall, it has been a life- changing experience for Stewart, which is why he continues to do it so many years later. 

With so many years of experience as a veterinarian, Kwane is able to treat it all. He’ll often deal with animals that have bad teeth, flea infestations, ear infections, skin infections, allergies, and sometimes arthritis. 

Beyond providing treatment for animals, Kwane also notes that his work helps the owners. Their pets provide them a sense of hope and security, and making sure their pets are happy and healthy is the best way to keep them in good spirits.

Stewart makes it a point to provide an ear for any homeless person he helps out. Not only will he answer any questions they might have about there pets’ needs, but he will also provide an ear, listening to stories about their struggles and stories with their furry friends.

The process has personally Kwane in many ways, and has motivated him to inspire others to help. He first began treating pets at the local soup kitchen, setting up a small table to examine pets and vaccinate them if the owners would allow for it.

Kwane says that the process has been truly life-changing. Hearing the struggles of so many has put his own life into perspective. Many people have a predisposition of the homeless, though Stewart has learned that many of them are simply compassionate and motivated people who have dealt with a negative experience that led them there. 

We all know how good it feels to give, and Kwane lives by that mantra. This Venture first began as a way to teach his young son the importance of helping others and giving back to the community.

To challenge the preconceived notions of homeless people, Stewart started a TV show, which he called ‘The Street Vet.’ Stewart described it as a “passion project” he made with his brother, which has blown up and inspired others to get out in their community and help. 

One of Stewart’s Main goals with the show is to bring awareness to the homeless population and encourage everyday people to give back to their communities. Whether you are rich or poor, there are so many ways to help others in need, from working down at your local soup kitchen to donating to larger charities.

Stewart has been going strong since 2007. He started out practicing in Modesto, California back in 2007. It was here that he ran an animal hospital before the Great Recession hit. Soon after, he realized that he needed to do more to help others. 

Over the course of his ‘Street Vet’ journey, Kwane has treated around 400 animals. Throughout this time, he realized that almost everything he thought he knew about the homeless population was false. 

One of the main problems is that Kwane pays for the necessary food and medicine out of pocket, and as a man who is still paying off his student loans, he needs help to continue helping others.

Kwane offers many different ways to support his mission, but donating is one of the most helpful. 

The problem is that even the simplest medical needs can cost hundreds of dollars. Something like a vaccine or a base-level flea treatment can be expensive.

Stewart said that the total costs for many of these sick homeless pets can add up to $1,500 or more, and clearly, the owners cannot afford to pay for these expensive operations. 

For Dinker, an adorable homeless dog owned by Walter, this was the case. Unfortunately, Dinker had an extremely rare condition that required expensive surgery from a veterinarian specialist.

Kwane’s ultimate goal is to make sure that every animal in need requires the care they deserve, so they can continue living their best lives while providing hope, love, and companionship for their owners. 

Many studies show that 5-10% of the homeless population owns pets. A 2019 study from professors at UC Riverside and USV found that around 12% of homeless people in Los Angeles County owned pets.

Unfortunately, many homeless pet owners are denied shelter services, as they refuse to give their pets up. 

Dr. Kwane put out a GoFundMe page to raise donations, which cover the expensive surgeries and general animal care needed by his four-legged friends.

From his GoFundMe page to social media to nnationwide news networks, the response to Kwane’s work has been nothing short of positive.

Many homeless pet owners say that their pets are what keep them centered and motivate them to rise up and find the help they need.