Full Belly Bus: A Lifeline for People and Pets At Risk

Nikki and Eric Bolden are getting a lot of attention today, which is hardly surprising. They are pulling a bright blue wagon that holds Soxcy and Cookie, two Miniature Pinscher Terriers that resemble furry footballs. The Bolden’s small wagon train carrying these tiny dogs is an unexpected and happy sight in the Tenderloin district, one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. Some people holler a greeting, others break out laughing. The Boldens don’t mind. In fact, they welcome this kind of positive attention directed at their dogs who are never more than an arm’s  length away from them. They may be cute, but come too close, and the footballs will start yapping protectively at any stranger.

 The Boldens, who currently live in a downtown SRO (single room occupancy) hotel, are dedicated to their dogs, so much so that they describe them as their other kids (they have three children who don’t live with them). Though the dogs belong to them both, Cookie is more Nikki’s companion and, as a certified service dog, helps lower her blood pressure. Soxcy is Eric’s certified emotional support dog, helping reduce the PTSD, depression, and panic attacks that are a result of a life filled with trauma.

Like so many in the city experiencing housing insecurity, Nikki and Eric also live with the most fragile of safety nets. This is where Full Belly Bus (FBB) steps in. The nonprofit was launched five years ago by Paula Benton, who for years has worked at San Francisco Animal Care and Control and volunteered with VetSOS. “I saw a gap in support for pet owners working to end or prevent their homelessness, but they simply can’t afford the high price tag of pet care in our expensive city,” says Benton, who explains that FBB is filling an increasing need. “Their dogs and cats are lifesavers, their family. Their bonded pets give them a sense of acceptance, stability, pride, and purpose. And in return, these pets help to heal their owners through life’s most difficult challenges. Full Belly Bus is about supporting these pet owners’ goal, to make sure that their animals are healthy, happy, and well-fed.”

 Over the past five years, Full Belly Bus has provided more than 20,000 pounds of free pet food, care supplies, and  professional training assistance, as well as veterinary exams, vaccinations, and emergency care. It’s program serves pet owners at four of the city’s newly implemented low-income hotels and five Navigation and SAFE Centers, which help people transition from being homeless to finding homes. FBB also works in partnership with the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team, San Francisco’s Safe Sleeping Site program, and the St. Anthony’s Foundation, which twice a month provides free dog and cat food to pet owners in the Tenderloin District. “For as long as I can remember, it has been a common practice to see housing-insecure pet owners share their human food with their pets,” says Benton. “The COVID pandemic has escalated this reality. We are able to help the pets so their owners aren’t compromising their own well-being.”

As with hundreds of other dog and cat owners who live on the streets or are in temporary housing, the Boldens have come to depend on the services Full Belly Bus provides. “I’m so grateful to Paula for Full Belly Bus,” says Eric, who often helps the organization distribute food to the dozens of tenants who live in his SRO. “They do so much,” says Eric, who also was able to turn to Full Belly Bus when Soxcy needed surgery for a slipped disc. “Most people at the hotel have barely enough money just to pay rent.”

But should people without homes even have pets? “We hear that all the time,” says Eric. “People judge the homeless, saying they shouldn’t have a pet. They should walk a mile in a homeless person’s shoes. Then they would know and see what homeless people go through. Their animals help them out so much. A lot of people have animals because they are scared and their animals protect them. They are also there for emotional support.” 

 During the years he lived on the streets, Eric’s dogs protected him when someone was being aggressive or threatening to take his belongings. Beyond offering security and peace of mind, his dogs provide companionship and a sense of connection that is so often lacking for those who are trying to survive on their own and without a home.“During times I was suicidal,” says Eric, “the dogs were there for me and helped me feel less alone.”

Even as a child, Eric always had dogs, a fact that he says saved him, time and again. “He felt like the dog was the only one that loved him,” says Nikki, who explains that Eric’s mother abused him as a child. He had a severe learning disability with dyslexia and if he got an answer wrong when doing homework, she would beat him. Eric found solace with the family dog, who would go with him on hikes in the San Diego hills.

Back then, Eric -- who as an adult transitioned from female-to-male -- was a girl and a lesbian. His mother kicked him out at age 18 for being gay. This was the beginning of his homelessness. Before Eric transitioned, he and Nikki married, but the church that owned their rental home forced them out for being a lesbian couple. Things went from bad to worse when Eric lost his job as a truck driver because of a herniated disc. They couldn’t afford to live on just Nikki’s salary - she works as a caretaker - and at times lived in their car. They eventually secured an apartment at their SRO, where they have created food pantries for both the residents and their pets. Along with what FBB provides, they used their stimulus checks to pay for the food. “When we were down and out and homeless, we had people helping us and they didn’t want anything in return,” says Eric, “They said when we were able to help out, we could pay it forward. So that’s what we did.”

Today, the couple’s life has stabilized. While someone living in an SRO is still considered housing insecure, they feel as if they have a home and a family in the Tenderloin. “We still have bad days, even though most of them are good,” says Nikki. “But when we do have a bad one, Soxcy and Cookie really brighten our day.”

“There are no words to describe how my dogs have helped me,” adds Eric. ”They are always here for us.”