People and Animals Living Safely: Co-living with Pets in Shelter - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

People and Animals Living Safely: Co-living with Pets in Shelter Settings

1 Beyond Housing Conference January 17, 2020 Danielle Emery Jennifer White-Reid Jenny Coffey

What to expect

• 1. The human-animal bond within the

context of DV, family homelessness and trauma

• 2. Developing and launching the PALS

program and the importance of community partnerships

• 3. Impact of the program on families and the

shelter landscape for NYC survivors

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• Provider in NYC for nearly 40 years
• Serving vulnerable populations: survivors of

domestic violence, homeless families, individuals with developmental disabilities

• Robust DV programs, responding to a

multitude of needs in the NYC community.

• Shelter (legal, economic empowerment, PALS)
• Abusive Partner Intervention Programs
• Relationship Abuse Prevention Programs

About URI

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• A small animal welfare organization in New York City that

specializes in finding homes for abandoned dogs and cats

• Founded in 1967 -- the small staff is supported by an army of more

than 200 volunteers

• Recognized as an independent, managed intake program and

works to find new homes for every animal accepted no matter how long it takes

• Animals accepted are from local municipal shelters, national and

international partners, and dogs and cats surrendered directly by

• wners
• Programs include Adoptions, Veterinary Care, and Training and the
• rganization also includes an innovative community engagement

program that has collaborated with more than 100 human service agencies to help vulnerable pet owners

About Animal Haven

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• In New York City:
• 81,063 calls were made to the

NYC DV Hotline

• Over 65,855 clients visited the NYC

Family Justice Centers

• 111,300 intimate partner domestic

incident reports to the NYPD

2018 NYC Office to ENDGBV Fact Sheet: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/ocdv/downloads/pdf/2018_ENDGBV_Fact_S heet_rev.pdf

DV in NYC

DV and Homelessness

• DV accounted for more than 40 percent of the

family population entering DHS shelters in 2018

• 12,541 people entered a DHS shelter due to DV
• More than 4,500 women and 7,000 children (more

than half (56 percent) of whom were five-years-old

• r younger)
• The number of families leaving DV shelter and

subsequently entering the DHS homeless shelter system increased every year between 2015 and 2018

"Housing Survivors" -- NYC Comptroller's Report: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/housing-survivors/

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• Estimated 1,000,000 pets in NYC
• 68% of American households have a pet
• 94% consider pets to be “part of the

family”

• Housing instability and poverty are common

factors in relinquishing animals to shelters.

How do pets fit in?

Human-Animal Bond

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Human-Animal Bond

• People will not leave pets behind in a time of crisis,

evidenced during natural disasters

• Pets provide physical, emotional and mental

health benefits

• For those who have experienced trauma, pets are

a source of stability and constancy

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Innovations in Animal Welfare

• Programs to keep people and pets together:
• Community vaccine and spay neuter programs
• Low-cost training and behavior resources
• Food pantries stocking pet food
• Advocating for pet-friendly housing
• Short term boarding or foster programs
• Opportunity for social work in traditional animal

shelters

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The "Link"

• The ‘Link’ states that when there is violence in the

home, everyone in a family is vulnerable or at risk.

• Emotional attachment to pets is exploited by abusers
• Physical Abuse
• Intimidation
• Financial Abuse
• Denying and Minimizing
• Isolation
• Cross-training and reporting
• Domestic violence, law enforcement, animal welfare,

child and elder welfare

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• Approximately half – 48% – of domestic violence

victims report that they delayed leaving a difficult situation because they feared for the safety of their pet and knew of no place to take them.

• Carlisle-Frank, Frank, & Nielsen (2004)
• According to a nationwide study, more than 70% of

pet owners who entered shelter reported that their abuser has threatened, injured or killed family pets.

• Ascione (1997, 1998)

DV & Pets

“Before entering shelter, I thought to myself that if I had to be separated from my kitties permanently, I would have to continue putting my life in danger …there was no way I would give up my boys.”

– former PALS resident

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Addressing a gap in services ...

• Learning about the issue
• Exploring the regulatory landscape
• Researching the models already out there

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Developing PALS

Experts in human services, but no experience in housing animals...

• Bringing in animal welfare partners
• Focus groups with staff and residents
• Creating policies and procedures

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Developing PALS

Putting plans into action …

• Resident preparation
• Staff training and sensitivity
• Started small, where we were comfortable
• No dedicated PALS staff in the beginning

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Launching PALS

PALS History

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PALS Launched at Safe Haven

• Brooklyn
• Cats Only
• TOTAL: 10 Units

2013

Retreat

• PALS Coordinator
• Manhattan
• Add dogs & other

pets

• TOTAL: 27 units

2015

New Beginnings

• TOTAL: 37 Units

2016

Center for Change

• Tier II
• TOTAL: 52 Units

2017

Restoration Residence

• Bronx
• Dedicated Singles
• TOTAL: 66 units

2018

Harmony House PALS Place

• FULLY PET-FRIENDLY
• TOTAL: 174+ Units

2019

PALS Place

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As of January 2020, PALS has welcomed nearly 200 PALS families with 275 pets:

In addition, we have provided assistance and referrals to

• ver 600 families to date.

PALS Families

118

CATS

112

DOGS

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TURTLES

13 SMALL ANIMALS 5

BIRDS

5

FISH

3

REPTILES

I felt like I was holding my breath, and when we got into the PALS program I felt like I could exhale. It was a safe space where I could finally feel.”

– Former PALS resident

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• QUESTIONS?

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Visit our websites www.urinyc.org/PALS https://animalhaven.org/

E-MAIL: PALSinfo@urinyc.org info@animalhaven.org

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