Deborah Lucas

The News Journal

Every day, rain or shine, Pete Buchmann walks five miles to visit his best friend, Buster.

Buchmann and Buster were inseparable until July, when Buchmann's financial resources were depleted and he found himself homeless, with no way to care for his 9-year-old pet.

"When I couldn't pay my rent any more, I moved across the street into the backyard of an empty house," Buchmann said. "I pitched a two-man tent, and it was kind of fun for about a week, but it wasn't good for Buster."

He asked police where he could take Buster, so he would be cared for until Buchman could get on his feet again. He was given contact information for Faithful Friends Animal Society in Wilmington.

His first two calls to the no-kill shelter couldn't be returned because his cell phone kept dying. Most people didn't seem open to letting him charge his phone. On his third try, he left a description of where he and Buster could be found in Claymont.

"We drove out and found them," said Lou Henderson, manager of the shelter's dog department. "We also took Pete a goodie bag with some food and things in it to help him. We brought Buster back with us and gave him his own room."

Executive Director Jane Pierantozzi was surprised, but not unhappy, to come into work and find the Rottweiler-boxer mix ensconced in one of the shelter's meet-and-greet rooms, which had been turned into an "apartment" for Buster.

"Since the financial crisis, so many people have had to give up their pets, and we have been able to place them, but Buster isn't adoptable," she said. "He's old, he has arthritis, and he's protective of and attached to Pete. Dogs like that can go down fast in a shelter. We knew if he went to a kill shelter he wouldn't survive."

According to petsofthehomeless.org, 3.5 million Americans are homeless. Between 5 percent and 10 percent of the homeless have dogs and/or cats. In some parts of the county, the rate is 24 percent.

Buchmann never dreamed he find himself in that group, living in the Sunday Breakfast Mission and unable to find a job at age 54. He'd been working since he graduated from high school, installing fiber optics, construction and several other jobs. But when the economy took a downturn, so did his life.

"I'm not your stereotypical homeless person," he said. "I don't drink, and I don't do drugs. There are a lot of very smart people living at the mission who are just down on their luck."

The Long Island native came to Wilmington a year and a half ago after his sister and mother, for whom he was the primary caregiver for seven years, died within weeks of each other.

Like millions of Americans hit by the financial crisis, full-time jobs turned to part-time jobs, and then into no jobs. He finally sold his car to try and hold on to his $800-a-month apartment until he could find a full-time job, but the money ran out. Never married, he has no children and no relatives to turn to.

But he has Buster.

"I am just amazed at his attitude," Pierantozzi said. "He walks two-and-a-half miles each way every day to see Buster, and then he spends two or three hours helping us walk the dogs. Most people in his situation would be depressed and angry, but he isn't."

Pierantozzi has been so impressed with Buchmann's devotion to Buster, his demeanor and his willingness to work that she is reaching out to her contacts in hopes of finding him a full-time job. He's also working a few hours a week at the shelter, but since the shelter is 100 percent funded by donations and funding is down this month, there's no room in the budget for more.

"Pete has been so resilient through all his trials," she said. "It's bad enough to lose your home, but to not know what's going to happen to your pet is horrible. I just hope there are people out there that can help."

Buster has settled into his new routine, walking slowly with Buchmann or his favorite shelter employees and volunteers on what has become his habitual route and playing with his favorite toy, an orange tennis ball.

Buchmann is counting his blessing for having a clean, Christian place to live and for Faithful Friends making a special exception for Buster, with whom he hopes to be reunited soon.

"He's my buddy; he's been with me through everything," he said. "He seems content here, and he knows now that I'm coming back, that he hasn't been deserted.

"Faithful Friends helped me save my faithful friend. I'll be grateful forever. I have nothing to complain about."

Contact Deb Lucas at dlucas@delawareonline.com or call her at (302) 324-2852. Find her on Facebook at facebook.com/deblucas and on Twitter @DelPets.

UPDATE

Bachmann writes: "I am overwhelmed with the responses to help me and Buster. Thank everyone for me. I don't feel like I deserve it when so many others deserve help, too. I know that Jesus is taking care of me through all of these compassionate people."

Staff members at Faithful Friends Animal Society have been so overwhelmed with calls that Jane Pierantozzi, Faithful Friends executive director, is asking people who want the help to contact her directly at jane@faithfulfirends.us or (302) 427-8514, ext. 106.

Here is a list from Faithful Friends on how members of the community can help:

Full-time job: A volunteer is helping Bachmann with his resume and are preparing him for interviews

Dart Bus passes for transportation (prefer over bike, used car to get to job once he gets a job is ideal)

A pet-friendly apartment, small house or trailer to rent in New Castle County (Newark through Claymont is best) on the bus route – about $700 max two bedroom

Money for Bachmann and Buster will be put in a checking account for basic needs like clothes to help them get started again once he gets a place

Direct support to Faithful Friends Animal Society for Buster's care: $18 a day or $540 a month. Every gift is matched. Someone can make a one-time gift via check or credit card, online www.faithfulfriends.us or join its Angel Program, a monthly donor program to provide for Buster's care and other animal residents in need (Faithful Friends has 470 animal in care)

Bachmann needs a small storage place donated until he gets a place for his clothes and some other small items stored at St. Patrick's

Bachmann's immediate need is for size 12 wide work boots and an extra-large Carhartt work jacket

Buster likes beef jerky treats, marrow or Dingo bones.

Emails and calls from as far away as Louisville also have been pouring into The News Journal, offering a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner, money, bicycles, clothing, dog food, rides to and from the Sunday Breakfast Mission, bus passes and, most importantly, job leads for Buchmann.

A conversation between readers has been ongoing all day on the delawareonline Facebook page, where people are offering to pitch in on clothing, suggestions about employment, etc., and one News Journal reader has started a Help Pete Buchmann Get a Car account for donations at gofundme.com/hmixds.

Buchmann is living at the Sunday Breakfast Mission in Wilmington, which is seeking donations of food and other items to see them through the holidays. Anyone who wants to offer help to the homeless shelter can go to sundaybreakfastmission.org or call The Rev. Tom Laymon at (302) 293-7767.

MORE ABOUT FAITHFUL FRIENDS

Faithful Friends' Food Bank provides food for dogs and cats as well as supplies such as leashes, collars, bowls and toys to pet owners having trouble making ends meet. Go to faithfulfriends.us or call (302) 427-8514.

Pet owners needing dog and cat food also can contact First State Animal Center and SPCA in Camden for an appointment, fsac-spca.org, (302) 943-6032, or the Delaware Humane Association in Wilmington, dehumane.org, (302) 571-0111.

A reminder: In this season of giving, all shelters could use donations of food, bedding and more, as well as volunteers to help.