New On-Site Pet Program at Salt Lake County Sanctuary Allows Survivors to Stay Together with Their Animal Companions

Salt Lake County, Utah (June 22, 2026) – Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit organization, in partnership with RedRover, a national nonprofit organization, are helping South Valley Sanctuary (SVS) in Salt Lake County, Utah welcome pets onsite. These transformative upgrades will expand the organization’s pet-inclusive shelter services to allow domestic violence and sexual assault survivors to remain with their beloved pets during one of the most difficult times of their lives.

SVS provides confidential safe house locations, a 24-hour hotline, advocacy, case management, clinical therapy, and prevention and education services to women, men, and children across Salt Lake, Tooele, Carbon, and Emery Counties. Previously, the organization offered off-site boarding for pets through a partner organization. With this renovation, residents at their largest safe house location will now be able to keep their pets with them on-site.

“We are thrilled to help South Valley Sanctuary launch this on-site pet program in a way that will positively impact residents and their animal companions,” said Zach Baker, Executive Vice President of Construction at Greater Good Charities. “No one in crisis should ever have to choose between their own safety and the safety of the pets they love.”

This renovation, which kicks off in June 2026, introduces an innovative new model: individual pet retreats housed in private sheds, so pets will not share walls with one another. This design helps reduce stress by preventing animals from hearing other pets nearby — a meaningful upgrade from more traditional shared-wall retreat models. Each pet retreat will be insulated, drywalled, and wired for electricity to maintain comfortable temperatures year-round, with fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) panels on the lower walls for durability and easy sanitation, and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring for a waterproof, easy-to-clean surface. The retreats will also be painted, furnished, and decorated to feel warm and welcoming, and will include cat scratchers and shelves to encourage natural behaviors and reduce stress.

Outdoor enhancements will include a chain-link play yard with privacy slats, individual pet relief yards with dog door access directly from each retreat, and pet-safe gravel throughout for easy cleaning and paw-friendly ground cover. A vinyl privacy fence will separate the pet area from the children’s playground on the property, allowing all residents to enjoy their respective spaces safely. New patio furniture will create an additional pet-friendly gathering space where residents can bond with their pets and connect with one another. Repairs to the existing chain-link fence, new gates, and a concrete pad at the main entry will round out the improvements. The project will also provide a starter supply of pet essentials and storage shelving to support staff and residents as the program launches.

RedRover President and CEO, Katie Campbell said, “We are thrilled to not only award South Valley Sanctuary with a $60,000 Safe Housing grant, but to have our RedRover Responders team on the ground helping to transform their space so survivors and pets can start their healing journey together. More lives can be saved on both ends of the leash when a shelter creates a pet housing program.”

NATIONAL STATISTICS:

• Nearly half (48%) of domestic abuse survivors delay leaving because they cannot take their pets with them.
• 91% of domestic survivors indicated their pets’ emotional support and physical protection are significant in their ability to survive and heal.
• 71% of pet owners entering domestic violence shelters report that their abuser had threatened, injured, or killed family pets.
• 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience domestic abuse in their lifetimes.
• Currently, fewer than 20% of domestic violence shelters accept pets.

“National research shows that survivors often delay seeking safety because they have nowhere to go with their pets. We see this every day. Expanding emergency shelter services to be more pet-friendly is an essential step toward making them accessible to all. Community support—especially like the Safe Housing grant, Great Good Charities, and the RedRover team—allows us to meet the evolving needs of survivors and build programs like our upcoming pet-friendly shelter options.” — Lindsey Boyer, Executive Director at SVS.

Since 2014, Greater Good Charities has recruited 7,000 volunteers from all over the country to renovate more than 214 animal shelters, domestic violence shelters, wildlife facilities, and housing for veterans and those unsheltered. In 2021, Greater Good Charities and RedRover launched a collaborative project, Don’t Forget the Pets, to help human and animal welfare organizations support pets of domestic violence survivors and unhoused populations. To learn more, please visit greatergood.org.