There are a number of organizations and individuals who are part of a community coalition called MN Alliance for Family & Animal Safety. (Representatives from various organizations include: Prevent Child Abuse MN, Day One, Animal Humane Society, UofM Veterinary School, HSUS, Various Police Departments, Hennipen County Guardian ad Litem Program, Minnesota State Bar Association, just to name a few).

One of the main goals of this coalition is to coordinate the efforts of multiple safe housing locations for pets in domestic violence situations. Right now three animal rescues including A Rotta Love Plus, Animal Ark, and Pet Haven are piloting this program with Minneapolis Care and Control (MACC) come January, 2010. When an animal comes into MACC they will contact a representative from MN Alliance for Family & Animal Safety who will then coordinate with one of the above rescues to find the pet a foster home until the victim of domestic violence finds safe housing that can include their pet. We hope to dramatically grow the number of foster based animal rescues who might be able to assist in these efforts so we can expand this program throughout the metro and hopefully throughout the state.

This of course will not take away from the many organizations who have provided safe places for pets in these situations for many years (including Animal Ark and Cornerstone Shelter’s relationship with a veterinary clinic), rather we are trying to centralize and coordinate this effort so it can be easily utilized, advertised, and victims don’t have put themselves (or their kids) in danger in order to stay with a beloved pet.

A Rotta Love Plus (ARLP) provided foster care for a dog last year through MN Alliance for Family & Animal Safety and after about 8 months that dog is now back with his owner and two kids who missed him very much. During the 8 months in foster care ARLP provided the dog with veterinary care, basic obedience training, and the foster family took the dog to visit the owner and kids. This dog certainly meant a lot to this family and they were overjoyed to 1). know that the dog was safe and 2). be in a situation to have him back again. The owner was overcome with tears of joy upon their reunion.

Please stay tuned for much more to come from the MN Alliance for Family & Animal Safety on this matter, at the capital in passing a bill to include pets in Orders for Protection, and in various other educational opportunities in regards to the link between human and animal violence.

Please check out this article from the Star Tribune.

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