The domestic abuse family shelter, INC. (dafs) will launch the sheltering survivors and their companions program, a regional effort to provide emergency and transitional shelter, housing support,…

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Victims of Crime awarded Domestic Abuse Family Shelter, Inc. $500,000 under the Crime Victim Assistance/Discretionary Grants program on October 1, 2025, to launch the Sheltering Survivors and Their Companions Program.

The program delivers pet-friendly emergency shelter, transitional housing support, veterinary care, housing relocation assistance, and coordinated transportation services to domestic violence and human trafficking survivors across fourteen rural counties in South Mississippi. By accommodating companion animals alongside survivors, the program eliminates a documented barrier that has forced many survivors in underserved areas to remain in dangerous situations rather than leave pets behind. The initiative incorporates trauma-informed advocacy and cross-training partnerships with local animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and law enforcement to educate professionals on connections between domestic violence and animal abuse.

The recipient is a nonprofit organization based in Laurel, Mississippi. The award runs through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in Laurel, MS.

The domestic abuse family shelter, INC. (dafs) will launch the sheltering survivors and their companions program, a regional effort to provide emergency and transitional shelter, housing support, and trauma informed services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, along with their companion animals, in rural south mississippi. In these underserved areas, survivors often face geographic isolation, limited shelter capacity, and a lack of pet-friendly options, forcing many to remain in dangerous situations rather than leave pets behind. The program eliminates the barrier to safety by ensuring survivors do not have to choose between their safety and their pets. Services will include pet-friendly emergency shelter, veterinary care, housing relocation assistance, and coordinated transportation. In partnership with local animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and law enforcement, the program will offer trauma-informed advocacy and cross training for professionals on the link between domestic violence and animal abuse. Dafs anticipates serving survivors and their pets annually across fourteen rural counties.