Clackamas womens services proposes to implement the safe pets program (SPP)

This Project Grant award of $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime (CFDA 16.582 Crime Victim Assistance/Discretionary Grants program) will enable Clackamas Women's Services, a non-profit organization in Oregon, to implement the Safe Pets Program (SPP). The project aims to enhance emergency shelter and transitional housing options for domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, trafficking, elder abuse, and child abuse survivors in Clackamas County, Oregon, by allowing them to bring their companion animals. Key activities include increasing available shelter, enhancing resources and staff capacity, and creating training programs for stakeholders. The organization will partner with animal care providers, develop training materials, provide financial assistance and programming, increase housing access, and bolster survivor wellness. To execute this project, Clackamas Women's Services will hire a dedicated SPP coordinator.

The project will take place in clackamas county, oregon, and serve survivors of domestic and sexual violence, stalking, trafficking, elder abuse, and child abuse, as well as their companion animals. As one of the few emergency shelters in the state of oregon that allows animals, there is high demand and increased amounts of survivors seeking shelter with US as they are allowed to bring their pets. This project will enhance the capacity of clackamas county to provide emergency shelter and transitional housing options for survivors and their pets by increasing the amount available shelter, increasing resources and staff capacity, and creating training programs for stakeholders. We aim to partner with animal care providers, develop training materials and program structure, provide financial assistance, programming, and facility maintenance, increase housing access, and bolster survivor wellness. To meet these goals, we will hire and onboard a dedicated SPP coordinator to meet this community need. This project will benefit DV/SA survivors and their companion animals.