Nowhere to Go—Unless Her Dog Could Come Too

The call came in just a few days ago. A woman had finally left her abuser, only to land somewhere else unsafe—because it was the only place she could go where she could keep her dog.

Her dog is 11 years old. He’s been with her through everything—every high, every heartbreak, every terrifying moment.

“He’s all I have,” she said. “I can’t leave him now.”

She’s ready to enter a domestic violence shelter. She wants help. But there’s one thing standing in the way: there’s still no safe place for her dog.

Right now, they’re both still waiting.

Because we don’t yet have our own dedicated kennel space, survivors like her sometimes have to wait days or even weeks to place their pets. And during that time, they are vulnerable—making impossible choices between their own safety and staying with the only companion they trust.

That’s why we’re building Paw in Hand Kennels. To eliminate the wait. To give survivors a clear, immediate path to safety—for themselves and the pets they love.