There is Something Poetic and Painful About Returning Home After Decades Away.
*Philadelphia—my birthplace, my identity-maker, my forever hometown—always grabs me by the spirit the moment my feet hit the concrete. This Thanksgiving visit was supposed to be simple: time with my mother, siblings, and the familiar pulse of the city that raised me.
But between family meals, fellowship, and business detours involving the National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest, Cheyney University, Lincoln University, and the Community College of Philadelphia, a deeper truth began speaking to me.
And let me be clear: this is not a scientific study, not an academic report, not a funded research project. It is a vivid, firsthand narrative—an 85-mile, four-day observation across the city where I spent nearly the first 20 years of my life. The truth I could not ignore is simple:
In Center City Philadelphia, dogs are thriving—but people, especially Black people, are suffering. And throughout my entire stay, I did not see a single stray dog. Not one.
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THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE
Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services reports approximately 4,725 people experiencing homelessness, including about 950 unsheltered adults on any given night. More than 60% of those unsheltered individuals are African American.
That statistic matched exactly what I witnessed with my own eyes: Nearly every homeless person I saw in Center City was Black.
Men and women. Young and older. Some sit silently. Others pacing or speaking into the cold November air. All carrying the weight of invisibility. Meanwhile, Center City District surveys show 43% of downtown households own at least one dog. With around 70,000 residents in Center City ZIP codes, this translates into tens of thousands of well-cared-for dogs enjoying boutique grooming, filtered water bowls, heated jackets, dog day spas, and gourmet treats.
Let’s make it plain:
Philadelphia has thousands more pampered dogs in Center City than sheltered human beings—most of whom are Black residents who call these streets home. And not one stray dog in sight.
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? NOBODY.
I’ve been to 41 states. I always notice stray dogs—anywhere, everywhere. But in Center City Philadelphia, across three business days, workouts, restaurants, Broad Street walks, Market Street strolls, Chestnut and Walnut runs, City Hall loops, and late-night Uber rides:
I did not see a single stray dog.
Each dog I encountered had an owner—often wearing Patagonia, North Face, Canada Goose, or Lululemon—holding a leash connected to a perfectly groomed canine looking runway-ready. It made me think of the old line:
“Who let the dogs out?” In Philadelphia, apparently nobody.
The dogs are inside—warm, fed, brushed, hugged, and protected. The people—especially the Black people—are outside, cold, hungry, and forgotten.
THE HUMAN STORIES
Every block I walked carried the same heartbreaking pattern:
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Black men and women huddled near steam vents.
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Black women, an Asian man wrapped in blankets in the shadows of skyscrapers.
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Black, White & female elders sitting on milk crates.
People assume homelessness means addiction or irresponsibility, but often it means:
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job loss
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medical bills
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trauma
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PTSD
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domestic violence
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untreated mental health
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or simply being crushed by an economy with no safety net
Meanwhile, every dog benefits from the privilege and stability of its owner.
THE BOURGEOIS HOUNDS OF LITTLE GOTHAM
Center City has become a playground for luxury pet culture:
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dog nail-painting salons
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aromatherapy dog spas
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pet relief stations are cleaner than some public bathrooms
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gourmet dog bakeries
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private dog walkers with GPS tracking
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winter jackets and waterproof booties for pets
Yet a homeless Black mother may be turned away from a shelter because it’s full.
This is a moral imbalance. This is a structural imbalance. And yes, this is racial imbalance.
FAITH HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS
Scripture has never been silent about the poor, the homeless, or the forgotten.
Proverbs 14:31 (NIV) says: “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
Isaiah 58:7 (NLT) commands: “Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.”
And Matthew 25:40 (KJV) reminds us: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these… ye have done it unto me.”
If these words are true—and I believe they are—then what does it say about a city where Black human beings sleep outside while golden retrievers sleep on memory foam dog beds?
COMING HOME SHARPENS THE TRUTH
Returning home in my 40s—with clearer eyes and a fuller understanding of social history—made the contrast more painful and more undeniable.
Philly may be full of groomed, adored pets—but too many forgotten, overlooked Black people. And I cannot unsee it.
A QUESTION FOR EVERY AMERICAN CITY
Does this look familiar? New York? Baltimore? DC? Atlanta? Chicago? Little Rock?
Are we building cities where animals thrive—but Black humans barely survive?
This is not an anti-dog column. This is a pro-human one.
I love dogs. But I love people more. And people—especially the Black residents sleeping in the shadows of skyscrapers—deserve far better.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Edmond W. Davis is an American social historian, international journalist, emotional intelligence speaker, and Amazon #1 author. He is a globally recognized authority on the Tuskegee Airmen. He serves as Founder and Executive Director of America’s only National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest, based in Little Rock, Arkansas. A Philadelphia native and former homeless youth, Davis has dedicated his career to education, social impact, and the empowerment of underrepresented communities. – https://edmondwdavis.com
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