Better Together: Helping People and Pets Find Safety

For someone experiencing domestic violence, leaving an unsafe situation can mean facing an impossible question: What will happen to the pet I love?

That concern can become a barrier to seeking help. On October 14, Halifax Humane Society welcomed professionals from across our community for the Don’t Forget the Pets: Housing People & Pets in Crisis Workshop, a day dedicated to understanding that barrier and working together to address it.

Representatives from neighboring animal shelters, Daytona Beach Police, Daytona Beach Animal Control, and organizations serving survivors of domestic violence joined us to listen, share perspectives, and explore how support for people and pets can work together.

Understanding What Is at Stake

During the workshop, presenters shared a sobering statistic: more than 12 million adults experience intimate partner violence in the United States each year, an average of 24 people per minute. Behind those numbers are individuals and families navigating fear, uncertainty, and deeply personal decisions about their safety.

For survivors with pets, those decisions can be even more complicated. The fear of leaving a beloved companion behind can delay someone’s departure from a dangerous situation. Knowing their pet has a safe place to stay can make it easier to seek safety.

The workshop brought professionals with different roles and experiences into the same room to consider how our community can respond. Building those connections helps us better understand the needs of survivors and the resources required to support them and their animals.

Creating a Safe Place for Pets

Attendees also toured our campus, including the improvements Greater Good Charities is making to our Culler Pet Resource Center. This space will provide temporary housing for pets whose families are experiencing domestic violence.

For a person preparing to leave an unsafe home, access to temporary pet housing can mean one less fear to carry. It offers the reassurance that their companion will receive care while they take steps toward safety.

This work reflects our commitment to championing pets and empowering their people. Caring for an animal also means recognizing the circumstances affecting the person who loves them and finding ways to support both.

Better Together

We are deeply grateful to RedRover and Greater Good Charities for cohosting this meaningful workshop and sharing their knowledge with our community. Thank you to Greater Good Charities for the improvements underway at our Culler Pet Resource Center and for helping us put these conversations into practice.

To the Domestic Abuse Council, thank you for your ongoing partnership, your advocacy for survivors, and the care and experience you bring to this work.

We also thank the animal shelter professionals and every attendee who dedicated time to learning and collaborating. Your participation helps strengthen the connections families may rely on during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Better Together is a belief we put into action when we share resources, build partnerships, and recognize that the safety of people and their pets is connected. There is more work ahead, but this workshop brought us closer to a community where no one must choose between protecting themselves and protecting a pet they love.