Purina and RedRover announce 4 New Purple Leash Project grants

Purina and the nonprofit RedRover have announced 4 new shelter grant recipients of the Purple Leash Project—a mission founded in 2019 by the 2 companies to support domestic violence survivors and their pets by offering them essential resources to escape violence and heal together in a safe environment.

The new grant recipients include Services to Abused Families in Culpeper County, Virginia; Domestic/Sexual Assault Outreach Center in Webster County, Iowa; NextStep Domestic Violence Project in Washington County, Maine; and Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program in Athens County, Ohio. The grants will be used for pet-friendly renovations at the domestic violence shelters such as pet play yards and indoor room conversions, plus kennels and veterinary care.

"We know that pets have a big influence on a survivor's decision to leave abuse, because the human-pet bond is so strong," says Nina Leigh Krueger, CEO and president of Purina, in a press release. "Through the Purple Leash Project, we hope to provide even more options for survivors and their pets to safely escape abuse and start a new chapter together."

According to the release, only 15% of domestic violence shelters are pet-friendly, typically leaving victims with limited choices when attempting to flee abuse. Additionally, approximately 48% of domestic violence victims will remain in an abusive situation if bringing their pet with them to the shelter isn’t an option.

"Thanks to the RedRover + Purina Purple Leash Project grant, Domestic / Sexual Assault Outreach Center is able to take 1 more barrier away by having a safe place for our clients' pets to also stay when they are trying to leave an abusive situation," says Leah Bair, program development director at the Domestic / Sexual Assault Outreach Center, in a prepared statement. "We are so grateful for this opportunity and to be able to serve many more survivors."

From the Purple Leash Project’s initial launch, 25 grants totaling more than $445,000 have been funded to domestic violence shelters nationwide, according to the release. Currently, Purina has provided more than $1 million in donations to the project and the company is striving to ensure at least 25% of domestic violence shelters are pet-friendly by 2025.

Each of the domestic violence shelters will use the funding from the Purple Leash Project for unique purposes:

• Services to Abused Families in Culpeper County, Virginia will receive $20,000 to renovate the property’s barn for housing dogs and cats, and they will create an outdoor pet play area.
• Domestic/Sexual Assault Outreach Center in Webster County, Iowa will receive $20,000 to build on-site kennels, create an outdoor pet play yard, and cover veterinary care.
• NextStep Domestic Violence Project in Washington County, Maine will receive $17,407 to transform indoor rooms into pet-friendly facilities and create an outdoor pet play area.
• Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program in Athens County, Ohio will receive $12,950 to create an outdoor pet play yard, transform indoor rooms into pet-friendly facilities, and cover veterinary care.

Pet Supplies Plus is also supporting the Purple Leash Project by donating $1,000 to each of the grant recipients to stock up on supplies such as bedding, toys, food, and treats for pets being sheltered.

Reference

Purina and RedRover announce four new Purple Leash Project grants to support domestic violence survivors and their pets; Purina. Accessed August 18, 2021. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-and-redrover-announce-four-new-purple-leash-project-grants-to-support-domestic-violence-survivors-and-their-pets-301354849.html