Two Children and Four Precious Kitties: Lainey’s DV Survivor Story
June 4th, 2024
By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager
Lainey* was a mother to six: two young children and four precious kitties. Little One* was the oldest cat at six and had been with Lainey long before she had her two children. Baloo* was two, his younger sister Strudel* was one, and baby boy Prince* was just six months old. When she learned the man who had abused her would be released from prison early, she knew right away that her little family wasn’t safe.
She had no warning and had to leave with her children and the cats in a hurry. When she arrived at the domestic violence shelter, she was met by an advocate who knew well how important Little One, Baloo, Strudel, and Prince would be to Lainey and her children’s healing. Without missing a beat, she helped Lainey apply for a RedRover Relief Safe Escape grant:
“The ASPCA states that protecting pets is protecting people. The benefits of intimate connections between people and animals are well-proven. It follows that the loss of such connections can be especially devastating. Victims of domestic violence, already subject to isolation which is frequently an abuse tactic, need assistance in maintaining ties to their pets. Pets can help to lessen stress, reduce feelings of isolation, increase well-being, and provide comfort during rapidly changing circumstances.”
With all four kitties safely boarded, Lainey could focus on finding safe, permanent housing for herself and the children. She was highly motivated to build a sustainable life for her family and participated in all the programming the shelter offered. Secure a voucher for Section 8 housing seemed to be on the horizon and, fortunately, her Safe Escape grant would cover the kitties’ boarding in the meantime. Every week she contacted the boarding facility to ask about them, hoping the staff could send her a photo of her babies to share with her other babies, giving them some sense of continuity in this transitional period.
But as days and weeks passed, Lainey hadn’t found any suitable housing for her family, and it was beginning to feel like she would never leave the shelter and be reunited with her kitties. The market was tight: there were few affordable housing units to begin with. With no certain exit date on the horizon, Lainey began to wonder what was best for Little One, Baloo, Strudel, and Prince.
As painful as it was, Lainey asked a family member if they would be willing to adopt Strudel and Prince. It would get the two young kitties out of the unfamiliar boarding facility, and they would still be in her and her children’s lives. Little One, her first baby, she could never part with, and of course, she would need a friend so Baloo would stay too. With just two cats, Lainey hoped it would be easier to find housing.
She was approaching more than six months in the domestic violence shelter when she got word from the boarding facility that Little One and Baloo would be adopted out if they weren’t picked up by the end of the month. Desperate to avoid that, Lainey found another family member to temporarily take them in. It had been so hard on her to be away from them, and to have the four cats first in an unfamiliar place and then separated from each other broke her heart.
It would all be worth it when, after so many long months, Lainey and her children transitioned into permanent housing. Little One and Baloo joined them, and Lainey was optimistic her family member would bring Strudel and Prince to visit often, if not return them to her. They were such a big part of her life, and having their needs met meant everything to her. While the future wasn’t completely certain, it was safe.
We are thankful for Survivor Stories like these and the families protected by a RedRover Relief Safe Escape grant. We are glad to know that, as a part of our compassionate community, you are committed to keeping pets and families safe together. Thank you!
*Names have been changed to protect privacy
P.S. The RedRover Relief Safe Escape grant program is in dire need as more survivors depend on us
and the cost of an individual grant continues to rise. If you are moved by Lainey’s story and want to protect more families like hers, please consider donating to make a Safe Escape possible for every survivor.
