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"Hello from Boone, NC Founder of High Country Paws, Inc. I'm a veterinarian in North Carolina working to provide pet friendly housing for people in crisis." - Kathleen Byrnes
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"Hi Kathleen. I'm Ross Barker, with the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative. I'd be very interested to learn about your experiences as a vet working in this space. Please let me know if you would be interested in connecting. Thanks." - Ross Barker
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"Hi Ross, my organization was started to work with domestic violence survivors to keep them with their pets, but I am very interested in keeping pets out of shelters and with their owners for everyone in crisis. Please contact me at highcountrypaws@gmail.com" - Kathleen Byrnes
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"We have often found that homeless humans do not want to be separated from their pets and would not agree to boarding anyway. We offer medical care and supplies in a way to try to build a relationship." - Mishelle Gray
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"We have an emergency boarding program that works with people experiencing homelessness if they are working with DHS or a private agency and have a social services referral. We can take animals for up to 90 days, but I am finding that many people cannot find housing within that time frame, either because they face barriers to housing (chronically homeless) or lack of affordable housing." - Erin Sandle
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"People will not give up their pets - even if it is free boarding. They will not separate and live in a shelter without their pets." - Christine Seminerio
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"We deal with this situation often. I am hoping to reach out to homeless shelters and DV shelters in the coming year to find ways we can support them being pet friendly instead of us always looking for short term placement." - Gillian Robles
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"I have had several cases where I can provide temporary boarding and foster care and then reunite them with their pets, but it is very difficult to find foster families to house the pets. In the past year and a half, I've only built a foster network of about 3-4 people." - Kathleen Byrnes
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"They will. it is not feasible to ask a shelter to house pets" - Susana Burgess
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"Last year we helped 136 animals, an almost 40% increase over the previous year. We have helped fewer this year because of shelter space" - Erin Sandle
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"We have a local nonprofit called Ruff Haven, which offers temporary boarding assistance for pets, specifically for guardians experiencing crisis. They have had to work hard on being present in the unhoused and treatment communities to build trust, so that those guardians are more willing to separate from their pet temporarily." - Shelby Roberts
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"I'd love to explore alternate ways to help beyond just sheltering the pets" - Erin Sandle
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"We have a "Hold for Home" program that is 30-day crisis boarding. we had to limit it to 30 days b/c it became a long, drawn-out process (for owners, our staff, and the pets) where ultimately in 60/90 days the owners had to surrender because they never found stable housing." - Brita Loeb
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"How about when the providers available to the clients have policies forbidding writing of ESA animals?" - Karen Vandersall
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"@Karen Vandersall - I recently learned that a medical provider is NOT the only person that can write an ESA letter. It can be anyone who is familiar with the individual's mental health history/needs (i.e., therapist, social worker, case manager, etc.)" - Laura Skiles
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"Case study 1 - It would be beneficial to have an event or drive to add foster parents to care for the pets on a limited basis. So many people who can help, do not know there is a need. People who travel for work, for example, might like the opportunity to have a pet on a temporary basis. SVDP - San Mateo County had such volunteers." - Janice Kroll
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"Even holding for 90 days, 20-25% did not go back to owners and others did but came back later" - Erin Sandle
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"We have started reaching out to shelters and sober living communities to support them in accepting pets. We receive a lot of pushback about allergies, other residents who don't like pets, and concerns about damage." - Linda Rubin
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"Linda, those are the 3 main reasons given. They all are not an issue as people think. I give presentations on this info to shelter staff." - Christine Seminerio
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"Christine, I would love to see your presentation! my email address is lirubin@becksplace.org if you would like to send me your presentation." - Linda Rubin
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"Christine, those are the issues we are running into too! Can you share with me as well?" - Gillian Robles
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"Linda, gsart.exec.board@gmail.com" - Christine Seminerio
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"Christine, I would love to see your presentation to the municipal shelter. I want to put our NM nonprofit working on an effective development of human partnerships. I'm going to try to get the animal folks to be part of that discussion." - Augusta Farley
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"Linda & Augusta, besides the presentation, we also created Policies for homeless shelters including forms (like a intake form and client acknowledgment form). And a training PPT for the shelter staff. Our organization are experts at emergency pet sheltering in disasters, and we are now trying to help homeless shelters become pet inclusive. I am happy to share." - Christine Seminerio
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"Thank you, Christine, that would be wonderful!" - Linda Rubin
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"I have to head into work (where we currently have 2 dogs in shelter because their owner found themselves homeless). I will return to the recordings! Thank you for offering this! 🐾💜" - Alexis Fluit
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"We have worked with a homeless coalition in our area to go into camps and meet folks with pets. It was shocking to us to see what the camps looked like after a 'sweep' and realize we had no idea where the people we had met just a week before were now. There was a mama dog with puppies and several cats we had hoped to help- all lost to us because someone decided it was time to move these folks because it was 'unsafe'." - Mishelle Gray
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"In Washington state the language states that it would be a mental health provider…" - Karen Vandersall
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"There are major issues within these shelters. To make a change, these shelters must be monitored on a ongoing basis. Even where pets are allowed, the staff does what they choose and turn a person away with a pet if they choose to." - Candace Pease
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"ESAs are under a federal law." - Laura Skiles
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"The length of time it takes to find even temporary housing is a huge barrier. Fosters want to know how long they will need to care for the pet." - Pat Seger
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"Definitely join the MDIMH conference - it's a wonderful and informative event!" - Katie Campbell
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"Perfect timing for you to share with partner homeless service providers. Just got this email right now: RedRover's Safe Housing grant program has been helping domestic violence shelters become pet friendly since 2012. After a successful pilot grant earlier this year, RedRover is thrilled to announce that grant funding will once again be available to homeless shelters in 2025! https://redrover.org/relief-dv/dv-safe-housing-grants/" - Stacey Zeitlin
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"More pet friendly shelter options" - Jennifer Bonovich
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"Thank you so much for the information and this presentation!" - Mishelle Gray
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"Fortunate to be in a community that is very active on this subject and low-barrier, and largely pet-inclusive. My biggest challenge is finding fosters for our crisis boarding program." - Laura Skiles
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"This is all awesome information but, if the community doesn't believe that homeless and low income do not deserve pets along with no places that accept pets, these suggestions will not work. We need pet friendly housing first!" - Rhonda Eldridge
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"I view permanent housing as a form of prevention; if the community overall has pet-friendly housing, fewer people are losing housing due to having pets." - Simon Smith
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"The something else is to be part of the local efforts to incorporate Built for Zero strategy that embeds all of your other choices." - Augusta Farley
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"Want help with P&D in addition to something else." - Anna Marie Arredondo
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"Prevention of homelessness and Diversion would mean less stressful situations for both animals and humans!" - Mishelle Gray
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"Animals are part of the family and educating your community to include the entire family is key." - Midge Grinstead
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"I chose Interim Housing as a collaboration point as it is often clients only need a short-term foster, but they often cannot get it due to lack of resources. If we could have interim housing be pet-friendly, we could alleviate this dilemma." - Brianna LeBlanc
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"THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO🩷" - Anna Marie Arredondo
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"We've got a lot of resources available via dontforgetthepets.org if needed! All free! And, as Stacey mentioned, RedRover has funding available!" - Katie Campbell
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"We have an emergency boarding program that works with people experiencing homelessness if they are working with DHS or a private agency and have a social services referral. We can take animals for up to 90 days but I am finding that many people cannot find housing within that time frame, either because they face barriers to housing (chronically homeless) or lack of affordable housing. Last year we helped 136 animals, an almost 40% increase over the previous year. Even holding for 90 days, 20-25% did not go back to owners and others did but came back later. We have helped fewer this year because of shelter space. I'd love to explore alternate ways to help beyond just sheltering the pets." - Erin Sandle
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"Check into 4 Paws for Abilities in Xenia, Ohio. I know they do PTSD, not sure of other mental wellness support options. If you need an intro, please contact me." - Beth Miller
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"Joybound People and Pets in Walnut Creek, CA matches individuals with psychiatric service dogs" - Wailani Sung
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"KARE is developing intake assessment for dogs & cats tour new co-shelter. Willing to share." - Dianne Canafax
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"The no-cost veterinary clinic I work with has started a crisis foster program and recently took in the first foster. From the start, two fosters were paired together to take in the dog because the dog was going to need foster for an undefined period of time. In this way, they are able to avoid the long-term burden on one foster and work with the schedules of both people. For this program, specific foster homes are sought / recruited because of the length of time the pet needs foster and the biases that the typical foster pool may have against people who are experiencing homelessness (or become incarcerated, enter rehab) and have a pet." - Melody Martinez
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"Especially If they're able to partner with animal welfare orgs!" - Shannon Glenn
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"Just got the following email from RedRover - RedRover's Safe Housing grant program has been helping domestic violence shelters become pet friendly since 2012. After a successful pilot grant earlier this year, RedRover is thrilled to announce that grant funding will once again be available to homeless shelters in 2025! This program will offer grants of up to $60,000 for construction, renovations, and pet care supplies, with limited funds available for veterinary care, transportation, and more. Submission deadlines for this grant are March 1st, June 1st, and September 1st. However, grants will be available only until funding is expended, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible!" - Kaitlyn O'Neel
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"Incorporating pets into human services shelters is often a fundraising too!" - Katie Campbell
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"Red Rover and Don't Forget the Pets are fantastic! Everyone should check their websites. They provide so much support and grants. Love them! - GSART" - Christine Seminerio
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"One thought in the elimination of barriers, do a deep dive into the work of Billie Groom. In many cases, dogs will be entering the "system" with a lot of cognitive baggage that could easily impede success. Her work is renowned, science-based and proven for decades. https://www.instituteofcaninepsychotherapy.com/" - Beth Miller
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"I was under the impression that after people refused rescue and leave their pets behind during superstorm Katerina, at least some shelters are now accommodating pets with their humans???" - Osi Kaminer
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"In Las Vegas we have The Shade Tree Shelter and i believe they were one of the first shelters in the country to let women bring their pets when fleeing domestic violence. The pets are on campus but not in the living quarters. Women can visit their pets anytime. They are well cared for, in a temporary environment." - Arvie Bromley
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"Not everyone that can't afford a pet is choosing to get one. They encounter an animal in need and refuse to leave it behind (as they often feel they themselves have been). Also, disability, job loss, life in general is never expected." - Lauren James
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"Also, in answer to that line of thinking... Outlining to organizations that pet people are going to get pets and it is better to keep them together than dealing with a revolving door of many pets going through the system." - Karen Vandersall
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"The AVMA's most recent Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook reported that income level alone does not predict how much pet owners are willing to invest in their pets' care. People with incomes of less than $25K or over $200K are just as likely to seek high quality care for their pets." - Melody Martinez
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"Great job everyone, thank you!" - Ken Hopkins
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"For our community, there is a need for temporary boarding for pets when a client is going into a detox or mental health facility. We also have issues with motel owners not wanting pets in the rooms or landlords not wanting to have pets in their units. One of our largest shelters has told me they are not able to co-shelter because of issues with environmental health and where they are preparing food. They would have to reconfigure the building in order to do this. Alternatively, they have a kennel outside of their building that can hold pets." - Emma Perez-Singh
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"@Christine and MDIMH thank you so much for what you do!" - Katie Campbell
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"Great info - THANK YOU!" - Beth Miller
Original Message:
Sent: 11-01-2024 05:04 PM
From: Christine Kim
Subject: Understanding Human Homelessness Response Systems for Better Animal Welfare Advocacy & Program Design (Camp Maddie: Pet-Inclusive Housing)
Hi everyone! Christine Kim from My Dog Is My Home here! Please join me on November 13th at 9am Pacific Time for my presentation for Camp Maddie: Pet-Inclusive Housing Edition. The 1-hour webinar will give animal welfare professionals a basic overview of human homelessness response systems.
Homelessness is a growing epidemic in the United States. According to the State of Homelessness: 2024 Edition report released by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a record-high 653,104 people experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2023, more people than ever are experiencing homelessness for the first time, and severe housing cost burden is on the rise. A growing body of evidence also shows that housing and homelessness has significant impacts on the surrender of animals to animal shelters, with housing-related surrenders making up about 14% of overall intakes. Therefore, the design, efficacy, and service delivery of the human homeless response system should be of interest to the animal welfare field for more informed advocacy and program design.
This 1-hour webinar will provide an overview of three elements of the human homeless response system: diversion and prevention, emergency shelters and interim housing, and permanent housing. By understanding these major components of the human homeless response system, attendees will have more clarity on how to advocate for and design programs to support pet-inclusive solutions. By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:
Define three major components of any community's human homeless response system.
Name at least one area of potential collaboration between your animal welfare organization and a housing and/or homelessness organization.
I will be joined by many other amazing speakers, each covering a different element of the conversation on pet-inclusive housing. Read about the other speakers and this special pet-inclusive edition of Camp Maddie here. Or you can register for the event directly here.
I hope to see you all at Camp Maddie on November 13th!
Download the slides here.
#CommunityPartnerships*
#Conferences,WorkshopsandWebcasts
#PetSupportServices*
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Christine Kim
My Dog Is My Home
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