September 13, 2021
The cost of establishing your pet program will depend on how you intend to care for survivor’s pets. The initial start-up costs will likely be more […]
The cost of establishing your pet program will depend on how you intend to care for survivor’s pets. The initial start-up costs will likely be more than the maintenance. One of the great things about having a program that helps both pets and domestic violence survivors is that it can open up another area of fundraising for your organization. People who may not donate to an animal shelter or a domestic violence shelter may choose to donate to a program that keeps survivors and their pets safe. We always suggest that you plan to budget for recurring costs like food, litter, toys, etc., but many of our Safe Housing grant recipients report having great success reaching out to their local community to help with these needs. Here are a few ideas:
- Pet food drives using local radio or television stations.
- Partnerships with area pet stores where people can donate food, toys, leashes, collars, etc.
- Amazon wish list donations.
- A local volunteer group/scout troop/classroom can make “welcome packets” for the pets to use during their stay, and also take with them that include special bowls, collar and leash, toys, treats, etc., for each pet.
- Fun event like a raffle that local businesses can donate to.
September 13, 2021
The goal of the Safe Housing program is to allow families to escape abuse with their pets, so ideally the pets would be housed until they […]
September 13, 2021
Yes, as long as that space is made available for the Safe Housing program pets when needed.
September 13, 2021
Survivors should sign a boarding contract and release form when the pets enter your program. This stipulates that if they are not able to reclaim their […]
September 13, 2021
We recommend having only the pet’s family, and/or a designated staff person, interact with the pets. This is a stressful time for everyone, pets included, and […]
September 13, 2021
In our experience, 30-35% of families escaping abuse with a pet will have more than one. We recommend taking this into consideration when making program plans. […]
September 13, 2021
Safe Housing funds can be used by domestic violence organizations to start a boarding program, but may not be used to sustain an existing program. Funds […]
September 13, 2021
Pets involved in domestic violence are often in need of basic veterinary care, such as vaccinations or spay/neuter. It’s possible that the animal may never have […]
September 13, 2021
Over 70% of pet owning women entering shelters reported that their abuser had injured, killed or threatened family pets, and nearly 50% have delayed leaving an […]