Domestic Violence & Animals Project

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS & COMPANION ANIMALS

Women experiencing domestic violence are often concerned for the well-being of their companion animals. That concern can cause a woman to stay in a domestic violence situation, or delay their leaving substantially. That’s why Positive Links focuses on making domestic violence shelters animal-friendly.

Positive Links works closely with the domestic violence community to ensure the safety of women who may desperately need to escape family violence but are prevented by concern for their companion animals. We provide data, funding, and planning to assist the domestic violence shelter in opening its doors to animals—still very rare at domestic violence shelters statewide.

If this is a cause that matters to you, please consider donating so we can help family shelters around the state make this possible.

In April 2016, Positive Links provided training on The Link to the staff of Haven House, a domestic violence shelter in central New Mexico. After the training, the shelter indicated an interest in opening its doors to animals, and Positive Links has been assisting them ever since. We dropped off a truck load of animal supplies, facilitated conversations between staff and national experts on the topic of housing families (including animals) together, and have offered assistance with fundraising to pay for necessary improvements to make the shelter animal-friendly.