About PalsNPets
PalsNPets began in 2020 inside a single interim housing program, providing direct supportive services to people experiencing homelessness with companion pets. As housing providers saw the value of addressing pet-related barriers alongside participant needs, the program expanded to five interim housing locations within its first year.
By 2025, PalsNPets had expanded to 28 interim housing sites across Los Angeles County, working alongside housing staff, case managers, veterinary providers, and community partners to help participants overcome pet-related barriers that could affect shelter access and housing stability.
Although PalsNPets has grown, our purpose remains the same: providing direct supportive services that help people experiencing homelessness with companion pets enter shelter, remain successfully housed, and continue moving toward permanent housing by addressing the pet-related barriers that can stand in the way.
Meet Our Founder, Iliana Belinc
PalsNPets was founded by Iliana Belinc with a simple belief: having a companion pet should never prevent someone from accessing shelter, housing, or the support they need to move forward.
Long before PalsNPets existed, the values passed down through Iliana’s grandfather shaped the compassion and sense of service that would later become central to the organization’s mission.
Iliana built PalsNPets from the ground up by listening to participants, building relationships, and working directly alongside housing providers, case managers, veterinary providers, and community organizations. Those experiences shaped PalsNPets into a participant-centered organization focused on practical support that removes pet-related barriers and strengthens housing stability.
“As an orphan kid, the street dogs are how I survived.” - Carlos Portillo
Iliana’s grandfather, Carlos Portillo, was orphaned in Mexico at the age of eight. During periods when he was left to survive on the streets, street dogs became his companions, offering warmth and comfort during some of the most difficult years of his childhood. He later told Iliana that he never rescued dogs because he felt sorry for them; he rescued them because, in many ways, they had rescued him first.
As an adult, Carlos became known throughout his community for helping both people and animals. Though he never had the opportunity to learn to read or write, he rose to become General Secretary of a labor union, advocating for workers and earning the trust and respect of those around him. Throughout his life, he also rescued abandoned, injured, and neglected animals, opening his home to dogs in need while helping people with housing, employment, and support whenever he could.
Watching her grandfather live with compassion, generosity, and quiet service taught Iliana that caring for people and caring for animals are not separate acts. Today, that lesson lives at the heart of PalsNPets, helping people experiencing homelessness overcome pet-related barriers so they can access housing, remain housed, and move toward greater stability.
Carlos’s legacy continues through PalsNPets in a simple belief: people should not have to give up a companion pet in order to access shelter or housing.
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