AWI Grant Supports Safe Havens for Unhoused Pet Owners in DC

In October, AWI’s Safe Havens for Pets initiative provided a $15,000 grant to Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) of Washington, DC. The funds will support HRA’s Safe Haven Program, which aids domestic violence survivors who need shelter for their pets, and help HRA expand its services to provide sheltering resources for unhoused individuals with pets.

Doing so will fill a critical resource gap in the nation’s capital. When AWI expanded our online Safe Havens for Pets directory earlier this year to include sheltering resources for unhoused people with pets, we were able to add hundreds of resources spanning all 50 states. Efforts to add entries for DC, unfortunately, came up empty—we encountered not a single resource for unhoused individuals with companion animals. HRA, thankfully, was eager to address this issue with some help from AWI.

For domestic violence survivors and unhoused individuals, the companionship offered by a pet can be an irreplaceable source of comfort, and many unhoused individuals would rather remain unsheltered than relinquish a beloved pet. Local safe haven resources are essential to supporting individuals and families in these situations—companion animals included. HRA’s director of public affairs, Kelly Whittier, said, “With AWI’s support, we can break down the practical, prohibitive, and costly barriers to both temporary and permanent shelter by covering veterinary care, vaccinations, emergency boarding, and even short-term pet-friendly hotel stays so people and pets can stay together when they need each other most.”

See more AWI Quarterly articles about: Companion Animals, Safe Havens for Pets

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