Bridging the Gap: Establishing Relationships Between Social Services and Animal Welfare

Pets can create a barrier to social services. Whether that is a survivor seeking help for domestic violence, people who are experiencing homelessness needing shelter, or those facing a mental health crisis. Pet owners will often delay seeking help because they have nowhere for their pets to go. When organizations are siloed, we may miss opportunities for interventions that can support those in need and potentially prevent further harm to both people and pets. This presentation will give an overview of the special bond trauma survivors share with their pets and the unique challenges they may face when seeking services, tips for pet advocacy that you can provide to your community, and how BestyBnB helps to bridge the gap between animal welfare and social services.

In this session, you will learn:

• The important bond between trauma survivors and their pets and the unique challenges they face when seeking services.

• Tips for implementing pet advocacy in your community.

• How BestyBnB works to bridge the gap in services between social services and animal welfare.

Who should attend?

• Animal welfare managers and staff

• Mental health program managers and staff

• Domestic violence program managers and staff

• Victim advocates

• Social service providers working with survivors