By Sheri Madsen, Director of Public Relations and Partnerships
Last month I was so excited to deploy to Colorado to help another domestic violence shelter become pet friendly. This project was a long time in the making – Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) shelter staff had attended a Don’t Forget the Pets workshop last year in hopes of learning how to welcome survivors’ pets into the shelter. Then RedRover and Greater Good Charities (GGC) took a tour of the facility to determine how best to renovate the shelter to allow survivors’ pets onsite.
More than a year later, the big day was finally here! The shelter received a RedRover + Purina Purple Leash grant, as well as funding from GGC. GGC’s Rescue Rebuild program led the efforts, with help from a few of our staff, RedRover Responder volunteers, Boulder Humane Society volunteers, and Purina volunteers (both from their corporate office and the local Purina factory). The first two days we had 40 volunteers in total!
The two-week renovation included:
- Replacing carpets and baseboards with pet-friendly LVP flooring in nine bedrooms
- Prepping and painting walls, ceilings, and closets
- Building and painting cat enrichment cubbies
- Building multiple dog play yards
- Building outdoor furniture
Beyond the gratification of doing the physical work to transform this shelter into a welcoming space for survivors and pets, the connections I made with shelter staff, other volunteers, and GGC and RedRover staff, filled my heart with joy. Colorado and all of their lovely people really make me want to return there again.
SPAN Development Director Aparna Harris said, “This renovation is going to help eliminate an additional barrier to seeking safety and stability for survivors. Over 70% of domestic violence survivors report that their beloved pets were threatened with harm or death by the abuser as a tool of coercion and control, to try to prevent the victim from leaving the abusive relationship. At SPAN, we believe that everyone deserves a safe home, including survivors’ pets. This new program and renovation will make that possible.”
