Over a thousand calls from people needing help escaping from abusive relationships are made each year to Russell House, Rolla’s regional domestic violence shelter. During those conversations, Russell House’s team began hearing a reoccurring need among survivors: a safe place for their cat or dog to also escape to. Beginning in September, a new pet program at Russell House allows anyone needing emergency shelter with a pet to not abandon their furry companion.
“We have to be their voice, and in doing that, we always listen to what survivors say they need and try to meet those needs,” says Katie Croker, Russell House’s executive director. “We kept hearing people ask for a place for their pets so they can be safe. We realized this is something that our community needs, and so we took the steps needed to establish a partnership with a local organization called Fur-Ever Friends to create a pet program.”
Russell House provides legal advocacy, counseling support and other services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence from Crawford, Dent, Maries and Phelps counties. Its services are available to anyone, regardless of gender. For the past 30 years, its Rolla-based emergency shelter has been a temporary home for hundreds of families. Through the new pet program, Russell House now allows those living in the shelter to know their cat or dog is safe in a pet shelter away from their abuser.
“Oftentimes on the crisis line, we hear callers who are needing a safe place to go, but they don't want to leave their pets,” says Melyssa McEachern, Russell House’s shelter director. “Understandably, pets are a big part of their life, and we also know that abusers may use pets to perpetuate their abuse and could harm the pets.”
Prior to launching the new program, the closest domestic violence shelters with a pet program were across the state and a two- or three-hour drive away.
“I'm really excited that now we can say that we have a program for them,” McEachern says. “I feel like we're able to help more people because of it.”
Shelley Swearingin, Russell House’s outreach director, agrees the pet program will create more opportunities to provide services.
“We know 48% of survivors worry that abusive partners would harm or kill their pet,” Swearingin says. “There are so many times that we’re working with someone trying to leave an abusive relationship, and they don't want to leave their pets behind. They may feel like they have to choose to stay because their pets can't come with them, and they're worried something bad is going to happen. Now, we’re able to create a safety plan that can include their pets, and I think that's pretty amazing.”
Beyond reaching more people, being able to visit their pets will also bring more peace of mind to the families staying at Russell House.
“I have seen survivors come to shelter who’ve had to leave their pet, and they are very distraught,” McEachern says. “When they know that their pet is in a safe place, it means a lot.”
Allowing Russell House to provide its pet program is the collaboration through its Fur-Ever Friends partnership. Unfortunately, Croker says security doesn’t allow Russell House to give public thanks.
“Our survivors will have access to their pets and can see their pets anytime they want to, but because of safety, the location of the emergency shelter for pets is confidential,” Croker says. “We would love to scream from the rooftops about how wonderful our partner is and give them credit, but safety is paramount in everything we do and the forefront of our focus, so we are also keeping the actual organization involved in Fur-Ever Friends confidential.”
Croker says anyone wanting to support the effort can specifically donate to the pet program by visiting www.russellhouse.org/donate. Additionally, pet supplies donations also will be collected, and the public is invited to learn more about the pet program from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 when Russell House hosts Pints-for-a-Purpose at the Public Brewing House in Rolla.
