Kyle Sullivan calls himself a "homemore," a label he created for people who prefer to live outside.
He is also the owner of a 4-month-old English pit bull named Nugget, whom he brought to the St. Francis House Pet Care Clinic's opening at its new location on Tuesday.
The clinic provides free care to the pets of homeless and low-income residents of Alachua County.
St. Francis House Pet Care Clinic, which is open only on Tuesdays, received about 25 clients on its first day at the new location.
It operated out of St. Francis House for three and a half years before moving to the Civic Media Center for six months. The clinic's new location is a block east of the CMC at 501 Southeast Second St.
Former nurse Chris Machen, Gainesville veterinarian Dale Kaplan-Stein and UF veterinary professor Natalie Isaza founded the clinic in 2007.
"We try to build relationships with the clients and help people through the animals," Machen said. "If they tell us their story, we try to do everything to help them."
The services provided at the clinic Tuesday included distribution of heart worm and flea medication, physical examinations and vaccinations.
Kaplan-Stein remembers the first animals the clinic treated. A group of homeless people from the Tent City camp brought in eight dogs with scabies, a highly contagious disease that causes a rash similar to poison ivy reactions.
She said the disease was easily treated with medicine that cost less than $0.50 per animal.
The veterinarians and administrators work as volunteers, and medicine and dog food are all donated.
Kaplan-Stein said, "This is the only program in the country to provide primary health care for pets."
The clinic has an 18-month lease at the new location. The vets hope to fund-raise and get more grants to renovate and obtain a permanent location.
Machen said the most rewarding part about working at the clinic is that people trust them with their pets.
"We're going to be here every Tuesday like the mailman," Machen said. "We're going to be here no matter what."
