Written by Sicily Hardgrave

A long line of people and animals forms along the street, but there’s no building waiting at the front of the line, just a van. For The Dandelion Kind, a Chattanooga nonprofit serving people and their animals experiencing homelessness, that van is the clinic.

Andy “Ringo” Witowski and veterinarian, Dr. Anna Ramsey, founded the organization after moving to Tennessee and asking one question: Who was providing veterinary care for people without stable housing?

The nonprofit began operating in April 2025. Ramsey brought more than a decade of experience in shelter medicine, while her husband, Ringo, brought a willingness to help build something new. Both work full-time jobs, and the nonprofit runs on volunteers.

“Other groups were doing valuable work,” said Witowski. “But the kind of care they imagined wasn’t available. We saw a need and believed we could help meet it.”

While their goal is to help the unhoused, their deeper purpose is to meet people without judgment and to recognize the bond between a person and their pet.

When someone is living outside with a dog or cat, the owners say, it’s not helpful to see two separate problems, an animal in need and a person in need. They are a family facing the same circumstances.

“By helping the dog, we’re actually helping the person,” said Witowski. “And vice versa.”

One of the dogs, Come Come Cashmere Colloway, has received help from The Dandelion Kind over the past few months. His owner, Cecil Colloway, expressed his gratitude for the nonprofit and its help. 

“That’s my son. He’s like my child, so he means a lot,” said Colloway. “I trust these guys to do their jobs and their dedication to their careers, to take care of mine.”

The nonprofit’s name came to be when the couple rescued a tortoise. Upon learning that tortoises like dandelion greens, they considered planting some, which struck a friend as an odd choice because dandelions are weeds. But the plant has value; it can feed pollinators and it can nourish people.

“The story of our organization is really the story of the people that we serve,” said Witowski. 

“We may be seeing you on a street corner, but it doesn’t mean you don’t get consistent, quality care.”

The name became a reminder: a person’s circumstances do not define their value. 

The van does not have an X-ray machine or an MRI, but it carries what the team can provide: vaccines, medication, heartworm testing and supplies for minor wounds and infections. For animals who need longer treatment, the volunteers try to stay connected with their families.

“What ends up happening is that sometimes we are actually the only option for care, so in those situations where it might not be something we would standard treat, we just do the best we can do,” said Ramsey.

With a deliberate schedule, the team often returns to the same places at regular times so people know where to find them. They have a rotation of spots they set up at, one being the Chatt Foundation. 

“We do encampments two to three times a month, we do here once a month, and we do Metropolitan Ministries every other Friday,” said Ramsey.

A visit may require borrowing a car or walking a long way with an animal. For the unhoused,  reliability matters.

The work is not easy. Volunteers have seen encampments cleared, leaving people to gather what they own and search for somewhere safe to go.The moments that stay with them are often smaller, someone saying a pet is all they have, or offering a hug after receiving help.

The values of The Dandelion Kind include compassion, integrity, inclusion and collaboration, all of which guide the team through moments both tough and meaningful. They believe that if only one person shows up, that person matters and deserves the chance to be helped.

Not every volunteer handles animals. Some complete paperwork or update medical records. Others portion food into bags, organize supplies or simply sit and talk with pet owners. Veterinary care is overseen by Ramsey, and volunteers work within their training and safety protocols. However, a veterinary background is not needed to contribute.

“Even if you’re just carrying a bag and sitting there talking to people,” said Witowski, “that’s incredibly valuable.”

He hopes volunteering gives people a chance to meet those they might otherwise see only from a distance. A clinic visit may last half an hour, but it cannot show all the experiences that came before it.

“If we don’t offer each other grace,” said Witowski, “it leads to unfair judgments that don’t get anybody anywhere.”

The founders plan to build an organization that will outlast them, and whether it does depends on the community, donations, supplies, volunteers and people willing to show up.

For now, the van keeps moving, carrying medicine, food and the promise that when a person arrives with an animal, they will be met with care.

---

---

Meet the Storytellers