For women fleeing domestic violence, Sojourner Pet Companions Shelter provides safe shelter for family pets
PHOENIX – Sojourner Center, one of the largest and longest running domestic violence shelters in the United States, recently received a donation from PetSmart to help fund the Center’s new pet shelter program.
The Sojourner Pet Companion Shelter will offer shelter for the pets of women in the program, a foster pet care program, a workforce readiness program to teach animal-related skills and pet therapy for the women and children residing at Sojourner Center. The program is a venture with Sojourner Center’s partner, Lost Our Home Pet Rescue; a Phoenix- based pet shelter that enables families in crises to keep their pets. Sojourner Center will be the first domestic violence shelter in the Phoenix-area to allow women to bring their pets with them.
Research demonstrates that 71 percent of abused women reported that the abuser threatened, harmed or killed family pets. Many women fear that their pets will be hurt or killed if they leave them behind with their abuser, and this influences their decision of whether or not to leave.
“We are honored to partner with PetSmart on this life-changing initiative,” said Maria E. Garay, M.S.W., Ph.D., Sojourner Center chief executive officer. “We have seen too many women make the heartbreaking decision between leaving a dangerous situation at home and giving up their pet or remaining in an unsafe situation. The donation from PetSmart, and our ongoing collaboration with Lost Our Home Pet Rescue, enables us to transform the lives of the women and children we serve.”
“As a Phoenix-based company, we’re dedicated to caring for the people and pets in our hometown,” said Andy Izquierdo, vice president of Corporate Affairs for PetSmart. “It was very sobering to learn of what many women and children go through in domestic violence situations, and we immediately asked how PetSmart could help. We hope our partnership with Sojourner Center helps keep more families, including four-legged members, safely together.”
The first phase of the program officially launches this spring, with the opening of an on-site kennel facility to be used by pet parents who are seeking shelter with the center. The facility will be able to accommodate eight dogs and eight cats, with special accommodations for other types of family pets such as birds and fish. Pet parents who are staying at the shelter will be responsible for feeding, exercising and socializing with their pet at least twice a day. In addition to the on-site pet care program, Sojourner Center and Lost Our Home Pet Rescue will be introducing a pet therapy program, allowing all shelter residents to receive the therapeutic benefits of pet therapy; programs for residents to teach responsible pet care; a workforce readiness program to teach animal-related job skills; and a foster pet care program for pets of domestic violence survivors who are not living at Sojourner.
Download the Sojourner Pet Companion Shelter Backgrounder
Media Contact: Lindsay Kurs, Hershey Cause Communications, lkurs@hersheycause.com, 310-656-1001 x119
About Sojourner Center
Sojourner Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is one of the largest, longest running domestic violence shelters in the United States. Sojourner Center’s mission is to provide a continuum of multicultural services to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence in Arizona, while collaborating with the global community on education, research, and advocacy to end domestic violence. Sojourner Center serves nearly 9,000 women and children a year through its shelter, transitional housing and community outreach programs, child development center, healthcare clinic, and lay legal advocacy programs. Through its services to victims and survivors, education and prevention efforts aimed at youth and the community, advocacy, research and leadership, Sojourner Center leads the way to a world free from domestic violence.
About Lost Our Home Pet Rescue
Lost Our Home Pet Rescue is a non-profit 501c3 charitable organization that provides animal welfare services for both pets and pet parents. Their mission is to keep pets in loving homes when families face major life challenges. Lost Our Home provides compassionate, comprehensive solutions to permanent and temporary displacement, pet abandonment, and hunger, by helping pets, their families, the Real Estate industry and the community. They are a no-kill rescue with programs that are linked to preserving the human-animal bond whenever possible. They help strengthen family bonds and create stronger communities in the greater Phoenix area by keeping pets out of kill shelters and with their loving families, or find new loving families when needed.