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NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
ARIZONA COALITION TO END SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RECEIVES $25,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES® TO HELP KEEP PETS AND PEOPLE TOGETHER
October 13, 2020— Phoenix, Arizona – Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence received a $25,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to help keep more survivors and pets together throughout Arizona.
As the face of family changes over the years, what remains constant is the role pets play in our lives. Many people consider pets family members and it can be challenging to find resources when facing life changes and issues such as homelessness, lack of pet-friendly housing or fleeing domestic violence in search of a safe-haven. Pet parents in these and other at-risk situations often determine they have no options beyond surrendering their beloved pet to a local shelter.
With this grant, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence will help preserve the bond between pets and their people by offering solutions that will help pets stay within their loving homes and families. Unfortunately, up to 40% of sexual and domestic violence survivors report they delayed their decision to seek safety and services out of fear for their animals’ safety. ACESDV’s Barrier Reduction Collaborative (BaRC) project offers solutions and support for survivors with pets. The BaRC project helps remove barriers to safety for survivors through funding for pet-related expenses, such as pet rental deposits, transportation of pets, veterinary fees, and pet boarding fees. The BaRC project also provides education and support to sexual and domestic violence programs to better assist survivors with pets.
“Many survivors would no sooner leave a pet behind than a child. By providing concrete assistance to survivors with pets, we can help smooth the path to safety for both survivors and their companion animals. Our ultimate goal is safety and support of survivors and this is a way to make that happen,” said Jenna Panas, CEO of ACESDV.
“Having a pet can provide a constant source of strength and comfort and can also add an extra layer of concern in times of uncertainty,” said Jenny Aho, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. “We’re proud to support this work that keeps pets and people together and ensures Arizona’s pet parents never have to choose between their safety and their beloved pets.”
Since 1994, through its partnership with nearly 4,000 humane societies, SPCAs and pet rescues across North America, PetSmart Charities has helped more than 9.3 million pets to find loving homes via its in-store adoption program in over 1,600 PetSmart® stores. The leading funder of animal welfare has also donated nearly $430 million to improve access to veterinary care, to positively impact communities, to connect people and pets and to help preserve families through initiatives like this with ACESDV.
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About the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
The Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (ACESDV) works to dismantle oppression and promote equity among all people, focusing on increasing public awareness about sexual and domestic violence and enhancing safety and services for survivors. ACESDV was originally founded as the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 1980, so that concerned citizens and professionals could unite in a statewide organization to end domestic violence. In 2013, the coalition became the designated dual coalition to address both sexual and domestic violence in Arizona, thus becoming the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. ACESDV provides training and technical assistance to responders, service providers, and community members, engages in public policy advocacy and public awareness initiatives, and provides direct services through their Sexual and Domestic Violence Services Helpline and online chat.
www.acesdv.org
Follow ACESDV on Twitter: twitter.com/acesdv
Find ACESDV on Facebook: facebook.com/ACESDV
See ACESDV on Instagram: instagram.com/AZCESDV
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is committed to finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps to find forever homes and families for more than 600,000 shelter pets each year. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting almost $430 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, a third-party organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 17 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
Follow PetSmart Charities on Instagram: @PetSmartCharities
Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc
Media Contact:
Jenna Panas, CEO 24-Hour PetSmart Charities
Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Media Line: 623-587-2177
817-939-1577
Jenna@acesdv.org