By: Elise Johansen, Executive Director of Safe Voices
Safe Voices is one of the many shelters across the U.S. that have made the transition to becoming pet friendly and has seen the positive impact!
When Safe Voices made the decision to become pet friendly, it was really hard to envision what was even possible. But after meeting with RedRover and others working on this initiative, we knew we could do it. We were energized and couldn’t wait to get started making the transition.
Why becoming pet friendly can save lives
We know that abusers will use anything and everything to assert power and control, and that includes pets. We’ve heard from survivors that animals inside and outside the home (even farm animals) have been injured or killed, and we have even had survivors leave their shelter because an abuser threatened to hurt their pet if they did not return home.
We have been able to see firsthand the positive effects of having pets on site, not only to the pet parents but to the shelter and organization as a whole. The other guests and staff enjoy the love and companionship these animals provide, and they make the shelters feel more like home.
We see pets as part of the family and strongly believe members of the family deserve to feel safe in their homes. As RedRover moves forward with their goal of helping 25% of domestic violence shelters become pet friendly by 2025, we’ll be here to spread the word that being pet friendly works! But it will take all of us to reach this goal. Take the pledge to join us!
