About Safe Havens

What are safe havens?

Safe havens for pets are sheltering services that help individuals who are experiencing domestic violence or homelessness with a companion animal. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) launched the Safe Havens for Pets initiative (formerly the Safe Havens Mapping Project) in 2011 to provide a national directory of these services and to help grow and strengthen the network of services available.

Safe havens operate differently from community to community. Some rely on foster care networks. Others use the additional kennel space of a local humane society or veterinarian. In some cases, domestic violence shelters or homeless shelters house people and pets together, either in the same area or in dedicated kennel space at the shelter.

They can be independent nonprofit organizations or formal partnerships between domestic violence or homeless shelters and animal welfare agencies. Depending on the specific program, family members may be able to visit their pets while they are in safe-keeping, and the pet’s length of stay may vary. In cases of domestic violence, confidentiality of the pet’s location is highly guarded in order to protect the pets and their family members.

Where are safe havens for pets of domestic violence survivors?

Before Safe Havens for Pets was launched, there were only incomplete directories of sheltering services that could accommodate the pets of domestic violence survivors. Safe Havens for Pets established an integrated, comprehensive state-by-state directory of safe havens. The entities included in the directory, which is subject to ongoing refinement and updating, either provide sheltering services for the animals of domestic violence survivors or have a relationship with an entity that does.

Where are safe havens for pets of the unhoused?

In 2025, the Safe Havens for Pets directory was expanded to include sheltering services that help individuals who are experiencing homelessness with a pet. The entities included in the directory, which is subject to ongoing refinement and updating, either provide sheltering services for the animals of the unhoused or have a relationship with an entity that does.

About the Animal Welfare Institute

Since 1951, AWI has been alleviating suffering inflicted on animals by humans. Through engagement with policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public, AWI seeks to protect companion animals from cruelty and violence. AWI actively pursues partnerships with other organizations to offer resources, programs, and policies that address the important relationship between animal cruelty and family violence. AWI also works collaboratively with other groups that address all forms of interpersonal violence, e.g., the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, the Battered Women’s Justice Project, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Please note that the Animal Welfare Institute is an animal protection organization and is not equipped to provide direct assistance to domestic violence survivors. We strongly encourage anyone experiencing domestic violence to contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 for immediate assistance. The National Network to End Domestic Violence is another vital resource, with coalitions in every US state, territory, and the District of Columbia that can direct domestic violence survivors to services in their area.

the Safe Havens for Pets team?

The Safe Havens for Pets initiative was created by Dr. Mary Lou Randour (retired). Currently, the team includes Claire Coughlin, director of AWI’s Companion Animal Program; Valerie Peña, Safe Havens for Pets manager; and Megan Novinski.

Request a Presentation:
Our team members are available to provide presentations about safe havens for pets, the link between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence, and the relationship between human and animal welfare. We welcome the opportunity to provide tools and trainings for other organizations. To request our services, please complete this Training Request Form.