Dogs everywhere — barking, panting and running away from their owners — was the scene Tuesday at a pop-up wellness clinic for pets at the Catholic Charities Dorothy Day Campus Place in downtown St. Paul.

The daylong event offered basic veterinary care for the pets of vulnerable individuals, courtesy of the Animal Humane Society.

“A lot of our clients have animals, so having the partnership has been lovely in a sense where we can provide the basic needs that an animal needs, that they may not have access to financially,” said Jen Kissling, program manager of the St. Paul Opportunity Center within Catholic Charities Twin Cities, which has worked with the Humane Society since fall 2023.

The nonprofit has been conducting pop-up clinics for pets every week since April, offering basic wellness exams and vaccines. All services are free.

Therese Gales, a Catholic Charities spokeswoman, said the partnership acknowledges the role pets play in the lives of vulnerable individuals.

“We see, among our client base, a strong attachment with people when they have their pets,” she said. “We just want to be able to foster that and keep the pets healthy, because it really means a lot to the clients to be able to see that as well.”

Eric Harmon and Sarah McKenzie, who both stay at the Dorothy Day Residence, attended the clinic Tuesday with their service dog, Jojo, and cat, Precious, an emotional support animal. They said that the clinics have been a “huge breath of fresh air.”

“To go down there and to see all the advocacy for the animals is great. You feel less forgotten, you know?” said Harmon.

In addition to pet services, pop-clinics aim to support vulnerable individuals as they work toward securing housing. Tabitha Ewart, community partnerships manager for the Animal Humane Society, said thee pop-up clinics help knock down barriers for homeless people.

“They’re putting everything into getting housing, but they can’t afford veterinary care, and for them to give up an animal is just not an option,” said Ewart. “We want to come in and make sure that that’s not a barrier to getting people in housing.”

The Humane Society will host weekly pop-up clinics at different locations for the rest of the summer. The organization will continue to attend the Dorothy Day Campus every other month to provide resources to residents there.