How RedRover Saves Lives at Both Ends of the Leash 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and an opportunity to recognize that abuse affects the whole family, including pets. 

There is a proven connection between violence toward pets and humans, and abusers often use pets as manipulative tools to exert control and emotional abuse.

Surveys reveal that 71% of women in domestic violence shelters report that an abuser threatened, injured, or killed a pet. Approximately 65% of domestic violence survivors have pets, and nearly half delay or avoid leaving their abusers out of concern for their pets. Some survivors have no other option than to live in their cars with their pets rather than leaving them, which can put the animals’ safety and well-being at risk in different ways.  

Unfortunately, the ability to keep their pets by their side is often out of survivors’ control. Most domestic violence (DV) shelters don’t allow pets at all. In 2010, less than 10% of these shelters were pet-friendly, but thanks to organizations like RedRover, that number has increased to 19.5%. 

Despite this progress, most DV shelters still don’t have the resources to accommodate pets or are unaware that there are programs that can help. 

WHY DV SHELTERS DON’T ALLOW PETS 

Domestic violence shelters serve as a vital steppingstone for survivors, providing them a safe environment to heal, plan, and access counseling, legal advocacy, and other forms of support.  

Approximately 10 million Americans are affected by domestic violence each year. Shelters and human-service organizations across the country face challenges due to underfunding and understaffing, making it difficult to implement new programs such as pet care and boarding. 

Fortunately, RedRover and its partners have developed strategies to make the implementation of pet-friendly programs easier on shelters. 

25 BY 2025 

RedRover is dedicated to ensuring that 25% of domestic violence shelters across the United States are pet-friendly by the end of 2025. Their 25 by 2025 campaign with Greater Good Charities, in Partnership with PetSmart Charities, aims to transform shelters into safe havens for survivors and their pets through grants, supplies, education, and coaching. This campaign is crucial in preserving the bond between humans and their pets through difficult times.   

Increasing the number of pet-friendly DV shelters can help break this cycle of abuse. By making these shelters pet-friendly, lives can be saved that would otherwise be at risk of physical and emotional harm—or worse.    

The presence of pets can also strengthen relationships and trust with shelter staff. Staff members have reported that having pets on-site fosters stronger connections. Plus, interacting with pets can also cultivate compassion and empathy, which are essential in the healing process.  

This support can make the transition away from abuse easier for everyone, pets included! 

1. Safe Housing Grants 

One of the ways RedRover alleviates the burden on DV shelters is by offering  RedRover Relief Safe Housing grants. If money is the primary reason DV shelters are unable to accept pets, RedRover offers grants of up to $60,000. The funds can be used to build or renovate spaces dedicated to housing, start a pet foster program, cover the cost of temporary boarding, or a combination of services that would benefit the pets and people in the community.  

An extension of Safe Housing grants, RedRover and Purina’s Purple Leash Project partnership, offers Purple Leash Project grants, funded by Purina. To learn more, visit the RedRover grants page. 

These grants can also cover pet supplies and basic veterinary care for survivors’ pets. Plus, each grantee also receives a box of KONG toys and treats to make the transition more comfortable for survivors and their pets. 

2. Safe Escape Grants 

The RedRover Relief Safe Escape grant program helps families with pets safely escape domestic violence together. The funding primarily covers the cost of pet boarding for up to 45 days while a survivor stays in a domestic violence shelter. Additional costs related to boarding, like vaccinations, can also be considered for support. 

3. Workshops 

To support DV shelters and providers in implementing pet-friendly programs and to highlight the life-saving benefits of such initiatives, RedRover and Greater Good Charities offer a free “Housing People and Pets in Crisis” online course that organizational decision-makers can complete at their own pace.   

RedRover also provides free coaching for shelters that may need guidance with grant applications or implementation planning. 

4. Lunch and Learn Sessions 

Learn how you can empower your local community and organizations to advocate for survivors and their pets and ensure they are safe from harm by attending RedRover’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) Lunch and Learn sessions. 

Throughout October, these sessions will highlight how animal welfare experts can help, highlight the benefits of being a pet-friendly organization, and share how students in social work, veterinary medicine, and public health can support survivors and their pets.  

The last session in the series will feature a survivor advocate who will share her experience and how it sparked a pet-friendly shelter movement in her area that is turning into a model for shelters nationwide. Visit RedRover’s DVAM page for the full list of virtual lunch and learn events. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Change can’t happen alone. RedRover needs your support to help bring more animals from crisis to care. The best way to help is by donating directly on RedRover’s website.   

Donations are used to:  

1. Board pets whose families are escaping domestic violence 
2. Help renovate domestic violence shelters to welcome survivors and their pets 
3. Give domestic violence shelters the supplies they need to care for animals during emergencies  
4. Rescue an animal from disaster or abuse 
5. Provide urgent veterinary care to animals in need 

If you are unable to donate, there are many other ways to support their mission of bringing animals from crisis to care. 

DONATE NOW 

AVAILABLE RESOURCES 

If you are a victim of domestic violence and need immediate assistance:  

• Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1 (800) 799-7233 
• Visit  DomesticShelters.org to find domestic violence shelters that offer a pet program 
• Visit  Safe Haven for Pets to find animal organizations that provide boarding or fostering for pets, as well as domestic violence shelters that offer a pet program