Quinn’s DV Survivor Story

By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager –

Quinn*, her daughter, and her three grandchildren had fled the abuse. Their biggest obstacle was behind them, but more challenges lay ahead. Though they had brought their Yorkie, Petey*, with them, he wasn’t welcome in the domestic violence shelter. Instead, they started living out of Quinn’s car, a sacrifice they were all willing to make for the most important relationship in their lives.

“We fled my abusive ex-husband and moved here. At first, a friend was going to keep the dog, but then they didn’t want to be involved. So Petey has been sleeping in the car! I take him out to use the bathroom every 2-3 hours during the day and at night.

“Petey is family; we love him to death. When he sees or hears us, he gets moving all around the car. We’ve had Petey since he was 10 weeks, and now he’s a year old. When my grandkids would call, the first thing they’d say was ‘Nannie, where is Petey?’ Petey is one of us and always will be.”

Even though they weren’t staying in the domestic violence shelter, Quinn was able to work with an advocate to help her family heal and begin looking for housing. But living in the car would make both of those goals difficult, so getting them into the shelter was the advocate’s top priority. They needed an alternative; otherwise, they risked living in the car long-term. After discussing options with Quinn, they worked together to apply for a RedRover Relief Safe Escape grant so Petey could be safely boarded and Quinn’s family could stay in the shelter as long as they needed.

While Petey was safe and well-cared for at the pet boarding facility, Quinn worked hard to find housing where she, her daughter, her grandchildren, and Petey could all live together in peace. In a matter of weeks, they’d gone from living with abuse, to living in the car, to living somewhere safe, and the family stayed together through it all.

“It meant everything to my family and me. We didn’t want to have to try and find another shelter, nor go back to living in our car. We are truly grateful to you all for helping us in our time of need. We thank God that you all were able to help us during our time of need. So thank you again. May God continue to bless your organization so it can continue to help others in the future.”

Domestic violence shelters with pet housing programs not only protect families from further abuse, but they also prevent families from experiencing homelessness. That’s why we work hard to help more shelters welcome pets through the RedRover Relief Safe Housing grant program. We’re grateful to give families like Quinn and Petey a safe escape from abuse and a chance at a better future together, thanks to you.

*Names have been changed to protect privacy

P.S. Please consider making a Safe Escape possible for every survivor with a generous gift today.