05/25/2026
“It was either I don't eat or they don’t… so of course they’re going to eat.” Ben shared as he held one of his beloved cats. 🥺
Overnight, Ben was forced to leave the place he called home due to family violence. One day he had a roof over his head. The next, he had nowhere to go.
“I went from a happy life, to being on the streets for two weeks,” Ben shared. “I didn’t think that it could happen so quickly – overnight. I was 32 years old, I didn’t think I’d ever be in that position.”
From that moment, everything unravelled.
“It affected my job, my mental health, my work life, it affected everything. It all just went down the drain.”
After two weeks on the street in survival mode, Ben managed to secure a new home for his little family, including his three beloved cats, Hallie-peno, Nacho Chacho, and Pinto Beans. But starting over came at a cost. Bond, furniture, the basics most of us take for granted.
Surrendering his cats might have made things easier financially. But for Ben, that was never an option.
“They’re my sense of security. They're my best friends. They're my everything.” Ben emphasised. “I struggled with mental health at one point and they were there for me. They didn’t judge me, they put up with my tears, my laughter, with my insanity and they gave me a reason to get out of bed. It wasn’t about me – I’ve gotta change their litter. I may not want to eat, but they need to eat.”
But even that became difficult.
“I was financially destroyed. It was like, what do I feed you guys? There were times where I had to contact utility companies just so I could get cat food and say ‘hey guys don’t turn the electricity off, I’ll pay it next fortnight.’ I’ve got the last $20 and it needs to go to them.”
That’s when Ben discovered his local food pantry was offering pet food support through Pets Of The Homeless. With access to cat food and litter, he could finally breathe knowing his cats were well-fed and cared for.
But just as things began to settle, another challenge hit.
Ben noticed a darkening around Hallie-peno’s eyes. What started as a concern quickly escalated into a long and exhausting medical journey. Multiple vet visits, medications, treatments, thousands of dollars later, and still no answers. The condition kept returning and getting worse.
“I had exhausted my Afterpay, Vet Pay, credit card, Zip Pay, which I had opened up just for that, and I was still getting into debt.”
At breaking point, Ben reached out to someone he had met years earlier on the streets of Melbourne - our founder, Yvonne.
“I contacted Yvonne, the superhero without the cape, and just explained the situation to her: I’m financially struggling and I’ve exhausted all my money, so I need some assistance. A week later, I had an appointment at a dermatologist in the city.”
Pets Of The Homeless covered the cost of the appointment. But despite every effort, Hallie-peno’s condition got worse. The treatments began to take a toll on her body, and eventually, Ben was faced with the heartbreaking reality that the kindest thing he could do for his girl was let her go.
“Pets Of The Homeless have been there through the worst and the best,” Ben said simply.
Today, Ben, Nacho and Pinto are doing much better.
And in a heartwarming full circle moment, when he can, Ben now donates back. Helping to provide food for someone else’s pet, because he knows exactly what that support means.
“You never know the position you’re going to be put in. It could be you, it could be your neighbour, it could be your loved one. It can just happen overnight, I wasn’t prepared. Lucky for Pets Of The Homeless.”
The love we felt in Ben’s home is unmatched. Nacho Chacho is his little princess. She’s elegant, beautiful, and fully aware of it. Pinto Beans is the opposite. Crazy, vocal, and endlessly affectionate.
“I live here for them. I pay their rent, I clean their litter, I fill their water bowl, I go shopping for them… I'm their personal assistant. They’re my world, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Right now, as the cold sets in and the cost of living continues to rise, people and pets like Ben, Nacho and Pinto are at real risk of going without.
That’s why we’ve just launched our Virtual Pet Food Drive, and we urgently need your help. By filling your virtual cart today with nutritious pet food, you can make an immediate difference.
Your tax-deductible gift will help fill empty bowls for hungry pets across Victoria this winter.
This year’s Virtual Pet Food Drive is proudly supported by The Petstock Foundation, Petstock. And our target is the biggest yet - a whopping 150,000 meals. But we can’t do it without you and winter won’t wait. 🐾🧡
Please shop now and help keep best friends together: https://petsofthehomeless.au/feedhungrypets
Image description: A man sits on the floor, cuddling and kissing a calm grey cat. A bag of pet food and a Pets Of The Homeless tote sit beside him.
