Athens Area Humane Society partners with Project Safe to Protect Pets of Intimate Partner Violence

The Safer Together program provides medical treatment, behavioral training, and foster care to pets while survivors receive emergency shelter and support services through Project Safe. Safer Together is funded by a generous grant from the Banfield Foundation.

Cheryl McCormick, CEO of the Athens Area Humane Society, says, “Family pets are not immune to domestic violence. Abusers often threaten and severely harm beloved pets. National statistics report up to one-third of victims delay leaving dangerous relationships to ensure the safety of their pet, and up to one-fourth return to an abuser due to concern for their pet.”
 

Domestic violence agencies often try to accommodate survivors with pets, but less than 10% of shelters nationally admit pets. As a result, many survivors face the difficult decision to leave their pets with their abuser, remain in a volatile household, or surrender their pets to a shelter. Since 2009, Project Safe has provided housing and assistance to over 100 pets in partnership with local programs. They also added an on-site kennel and play yard for dogs in 2019.

 

“When pets are safe, survivors have one less problem to solve; one less life to protect; one less source of anxiety preventing them from safely rebuilding their lives. They can focus on finding long-term housing, securing employment, and addressing children’s needs”, says McCormick.

 

Joan Prittie, Executive Director of Project Safe, says: "Project Safe is excited to partner with AAHS to greatly expand capacity of our longstanding pet fostering services for survivors of intimate partner violence. Because our current fosters usually have multiple animals in their care, the increased ability to care for pets who are reactive or have other behavioral issues, in particular, will have a tremendous impact for some of our clients."
 

If you are a victim of domestic violence and in need of help, you can call Project Safe: 706-543-3331 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE. If you suspect a case of animal abuse, call the Athens-Clarke County Animal Services at (706) 613-3540.
 

About Athens Area Humane Society: AAHS rescues and protects companion animals by providing for their wellbeing, uniting them with loving homes, and advocating for a compassionate society. For more information or to donate to Safer Together, visit athenshumanesociety.org.
 

Contact:
Cheryl M. McCormick, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Athens Area Humane Society
(706) 452-1299
cheryl@athenshumanesociety.org

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