Awesome new program and how YOU can help

Imagine this: you are a woman who is being abused at home. You finally gather your courage to flee the situation but you know that you can't take your beloved pet(s) with you. Your abuser may threaten specific harm to your animals if you leave, involve the authorities or testify against them. Do you stay or do you still go?

That's a very real dilemma facing many victims of domestic violence. While more than 700 women's shelters across the US provide assistance or referrals for placement of pets; American Humane is aware of only a few shelters that actually provide on-site housing for pets.

Some women stay and are subjected to ongoing violence. Others have to sacrifice their pet to save their own lives and those of their children, adding yet another traumatic element to the situation.

Now imagine if those women could escape their abusive situations and take their pets with them! It's one less reason to stay - not only would their pets be safe from the abuser and spared the desperation of an animal shelter, but having their animals with them would provide immeasurable comfort and strength to the women and especially their children.

American Humane just launched a Pets and Women's Shelters Program (PAWS) to do just that - it is a national program to guide domestic and family violence emergency housing shelters toward permitting residents to bring their pets with them. So those courageous women who do escape violent homes to save their own life and that of their children can also save their pets.

What can you do?

• If you are a woman in a violent or abusive situation, contact the 24x7 National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) to work out a plan of action to get yourself and your children safe. Know which domestic and family violence shelters allow you to bring your pet with you - click here for a list or options if you can't find such a shelter.


• If you're an animal shelter - understand how you can support PAWS - click here for the National Humane PAWS start up guide.


• Everybody - pledge your support by signing this petition to support on-site housing for pets in women's shelters and share this information with anyone who could benefit!

Let's all help these women keep their kids and their pets safe!