Banfield Foundation grant promotes RedRover’s Domestic Violence Safe Escape grant program to help families and pets affected by domestic violence stay together
Sacramento, CA, and Portland, OR (January 22, 2016) – RedRover, a national nonprofit animal protection organization, was recently awarded a $20,000 grant from the Banfield Foundation in support of the RedRover Relief Domestic Violence Safe Escape grant program. RedRover will utilize the award to provide up to 40 RedRover Domestic Violence Safe Escape grants, allowing families escaping domestic violence to leave their abusive situations with their pets by providing financial assistance for safe boarding and veterinary care.
The Banfield Foundation was established by Banfield Pet Hospital in May 2015. Through grants and service programs, the Banfield Foundation focuses on elevating the power of the human-animal bond, strengthening the pet welfare community, providing disaster relief for pets and advancing the science of veterinary medicine through fostering innovation and education.
All too often, domestic violence victims stay in abusive homes for fear of subjecting their animals to abuse if they leave. RedRover Relief Safe Escape grants pay for temporary boarding and/or veterinary care to enable a domestic violence victim to remove pets to safety so that no member of the family is left behind. A RedRover Safe Escape grant recently helped one family violence shelter provide a client boarding for her beloved pet. The shelter told RedRover’s case manager, “Thank you for everything that RedRover was able to do for our client. It made a world of difference in their level of happiness and comfort while they were staying with us. As you know, often victims of domestic violence and sexual assault are traumatized, and having their animal companions close by can offer a source of comfort while they are learning about a new environment and adjusting to finally having safety in their lives. It can all be a bit overwhelming, so your program is a boon to survivors. Having their pet close by can provide them with an anchor point — someone familiar whom they care about, trust and who cares about them — they can return to. I hope the RedRover program continues for a very long time.”
Since helping their first victim of domestic violence with a RedRover Relief grant in 2007, RedRover has awarded over 250 grants to help nearly 400 victims of domestic violence with over 7,800 nights of boarding for their pets. This program serves an average of 175 pets per year. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 70 percent of pet-owning women entering domestic violence shelters reported that their batterer had injured, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or psychological control. As many as 65 percent of domestic violence victims are unable to escape their abusers because they fear what will happen to their pets when they leave. According to Sheltering Animals and Families Together (SAF-T), a national initiative that guides family violence shelters on how to welcome families with pets, only a fraction of the 2,500 domestic violence shelters in the United States report having the ability to house animals onsite.
“When a victim of domestic violence believes that there is nowhere safe for them to escape to with their pets, they may stay in the abusive relationship out of fear for their pets’ safety,” said Nicole Forsyth, RedRover President and CEO. “Their pets are often also victims of abuse, suffering from injuries and neglect. RedRover’s Safe Escape grants make it possible for victims to receive lifesaving sheltering services, reassured that their pets are protected.”
More information about RedRover’s domestic violence programs can be found at RedRover.org/Domestic.
About RedRover
Founded in 1987, the mission of RedRover is to bring animals out of crisis and strengthen the bond between people and animals through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. Learn more at RedRover.org.
About Banfield Foundation
Founded in 2015 by Banfield Pet Hospital®, the Banfield Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to improving the well-being of pets and communities. Their mission is to elevate the power of the human-animal bond, strengthen the pet welfare community, provide disaster relief for pets and advance the science of veterinary medicine through fostering innovation and education. The Banfield Foundation also offers support for emergency and preventive veterinary care and provides grants to pet-related nonprofit organizations in order keep pets healthy and in loving homes. For more information visit www.BanfieldFoundation.com or follow them at Facebook.com/BanfieldFoundation.
Media contact
Keleigh Friedrich
Communications Coordinator II
kfriedrich@RedRover.org
916.429.2457 ext. 317
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