PAWS Keeping Pets and Women Together
March 17, 2009 by Peggy Rowland
Filed under Pets
The need to keep pets and people together during a crisis was finally realized after Hurricane Katrina, but women seeking a safe haven in shelters are also in crisis and sometimes must leave their beloved pets behind.
According to American Humane, some abused women choose to stay in their situations to avoid leaving a pet behind to face consequences at the hands of their abusers.
When American Humane started their Pets and Women’s Shelters (PAWS) program in February 2008, only four domestic abuse shelters in the US allowed pets. PAWS is working to change that.
The PAWS Program Startup Guide, written by the director of public policy for American Humane, provides domestic abuse shelter directors with instructions on starting their own PAWS programs to house pets along with women and children.
PAWS has a voice you may recognize. Paula Abdul, pro-bono spokesperson for the program, is having a charity auction on eBay Giving Works to benefit American Humane’s PAWS program.
The auction will feature 2,000 designer items from Abdul’s closet. A percentage of the proceeds will go to PAWS. Get notification on the start of the auction.
Learn more about Abdul’s involvement with PAWS at American Humane.
(Image via flickr)
