Purina and RedRover award 4 new Purple Leash Project grants
Funding from these grants will help support domestic violence survivors and their pets
Editor's note: This article includes a discussion of domestic violence. If you are a victim of domestic violence and need help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit https://www.thehotline.org/. If you are a victim and need pet-friendly housing, please visit www.SafePlaceForPets.org to find pet-friendly shelters in your area.
Purina and RedRover announced that 4 new Purple Leash Project grants totaling up to over $150,000 have been given to multiple domestic violence shelters to help them make pet-friendly renovations. The pet-friendly upgrades and resources will include pet-safe housing, veterinary care, outdoor play areas, and supplies.
"Nearly half of all domestic violence survivors will delay leaving their abuser if they can't bring their pet with them, which is a choice that nobody should have to make," said Nina Leigh Krueger, CEO, and president of Purina, in an organizational release.1 "Luckily, the number of resources to help survivors and their four-legged family members escape abuse and heal together is growing every day, and Purina is humbled to help lead the charge alongside our partners at RedRover to make more pet-inclusive resources available."
According to the release,1 the Purple Leash Project provided over $1 million in funding since it was founded in 2019 and, along with RedRover, is working to help ensure that at least 25% of domestic violence shelters are pet friendly by 2025. Currently, $704,850 has been distributed across 34 US shelters to help provide survivors and their pets a safe place to live.
The following shelters are the recipients of the 4 new grants1:
- Finding Grace Ministries. Located in Jefferson County, Missouri, Finding Grace Ministries will receive $60,000 to build on-site outdoor play yards. It will also receive funding to support the installation of pet-friendly flooring, scratch guards for doors, pet supplies, and veterinary care.
- Women’s Resource Center: Located in Newport County, Rhode Island, the center will receive $40,000 to build dog play areas and an enclosed cat patio. Any leftover funds will go toward installing a fence at the center.
- Monarch Services - Servicios Monarca: Located in Santa Cruz County, California, Monarch Services will receive $33,400 to support house cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, fish, reptiles, small mammals, and pocket animals. The remaining funds will be used to build pet play areas, provide pet supplies, and cover veterinary care costs.
- Seminole County Victims' Rights Coalition: Located in Seminole County, Florida, the Seminole County Victims' Rights Coalition will receive $19,450 to build private pet-friendly suites for survivors and receive access to a dog park on-site. Any leftover funds will be used for a security system and pet supplies.
"RedRover and Purina's Purple Leash Project grant will help Finding Grace Ministries become the first pet-friendly human shelter in Jefferson County, Missouri," said Doreen Page, Finding Grace Ministries executive director. "We're so thankful to both organizations for helping us bring our dreams of providing real, impactful solutions to survivors of domestic violence to reality."
Reference
Purina and RedRover Award Four New Purple Leash Project Grants To Continue Support Of Domestic Violence Survivors With Pets. News release. Purina. September 7, 2022. Accessed September 7, 2022. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-and-redrover-award-four-new-purple-leash-project-grants-to-continue-support-of-domestic-violence-survivors-with-pets-301617571.html
