RedRover Awards $240,000+ in Grants to Domestic Violence and Animal Shelters
Grants Give Safe Haven to Defenseless Pets of Domestic Violence
Sacramento, CA (December 2, 2020) – RedRover has awarded $244,627 in Safe Housing grant funds during the second grant cycle of 2020. RedRover’s Safe Housing grants not only enable domestic violence shelters to create on- and off-site space to house pets, they also allow animal shelters to build dedicated housing for animal victims of abuse. Of the 14 grants awarded, six are RedRover + Purina Purple Leash Project grants, an extension of RedRover’s Safe Housing program. And in the second grant cycle of its kind, four Safe Housing Animal Shelter grants were awarded for a total of $80,000.
Since the program’s inception in 2012, RedRover has given 138 grants in 41 states, totaling more than $1.5 million. Additionally, the Safe Housing grants have created the first pet-friendly domestic violence shelters in nine states!
RedRover President and CEO Nicole Forsyth said, “The link between domestic violence and animal abuse is undeniable. Too often, survivors will not leave an abusive relationship if they cannot find a domestic violence shelter that accepts pets. Our grants allow these shelters to create pet-friendly spaces so that no one ever has to choose between their safety and their pet.”
The following received Safe Housing grants during this application period:
Animal Shelters
- Lost Our Home Pet Rescue – Maricopa County, AZ, $20,000
- Valley Oak SPCA – Tulare County, CA, $20,000
- Monroe County Humane Association – Monroe County, IN, $20,000
- Alaqua Animal Refuge – Walton County, FL, $20,000
Domestic Violence Shelters
- The Spring – Tulsa County, OK, $20,000
- North Star Advocacy Center – Nodaway County, MO, $5,340
- Advocates for Victims of Assault, Inc (aka Summit Advocates) – Summit County, CO, $8,302
- Branch County Coalition Against Domestic Violence – Branch County, MI, $15,000
RedRover + Purina Purple Leash Project Domestic Violence Shelter Grantees
- Sojourner Center – Maricopa County, AZ, $20,000
- Hope Haven of Cass County – Cass County, MO, $12,500
- Palomar Family Justice Center – Oklahoma County, OK, $30,000
- Domestic Violence Intervention Program – Johnson County, IA, $13,485
- Domestic Abuse Family Shelter – Forrest County, MS, $20,000
- YWCA Nashville and Middle Tennessee – Davidson County, TN, $20,000
According to research conducted by Dr. Frank Ascione, as many as 71 percent of pet-owning women entering domestic violence shelters report their abuser injured, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or psychological control. Additionally, up to 48 percent of domestic violence victims reported delaying leaving their abusers because they feared what would happen to their pets.
“We are so grateful for RedRover’s support,” said Lost Our Pet Rescue Founder/Executive Director Jodi Polanski. “With their funding we are able to purchase new dog suites to expand the number of dogs we can help each year in our domestic violence Temporary Care Program. The dog suites also provided a much needed safer, more sanitary, and less stressful environment for them then what we had previously. Their funding is truly coming at a time when it is needed more than ever. Everyone we work with at RedRover truly cares which makes for a great partnership to make an ever greater impact for the people and pets that need us.”
RedRover and Purina set a goal to have at least one pet-friendly domestic violence shelter in each state. Now, only Hawaii and Rhode Island are the last remaining states that have NO pet-friendly domestic violence shelters. For a complete list of RedRover programs that help domestic violence victims escape abusive situations with their pets, visit redrover.org/relief.
North Star Advocacy Center Executive Director, Linda Mattson, said, “This grant means we can allow victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to bring their pets into all areas of our shelter. It quadruples our capacity for pets. This is exciting as many victims choose to stay in abusive relationships if they can’t take their pets. THANK YOU RedRover!!”
Deadlines to apply for Safe Housing and Purple Leash Project grants are May 15 and October 15 each year. To learn more, visit: https://redrover.org/SafeHousing.
About RedRover
Since 1987, RedRover has focused on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the human-animal bond through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance, and education. For the fifth consecutive year, RedRover has earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. To learn how RedRover is creating a more compassionate world, visit RedRover.org.
###
Contact:
Sheri Madsen
916.600.8157 cell
smadsen@redrover.org