A few days ago, I was flipping through a magazine and saw a full-page advertisement for something called, The Purple Leash Project. What caught my attention was the statement in the ad: “48% of Domestic Violence Victims Don’t Leave Because They Can’t Bring Their Pets.”
I was shocked and nearly brought to tears. Shocked because I had no idea that somany domestic violence victims were facing having to leave their pets behind if they left. And brought to tears because this hits home with me.
I left a long-term relationship when I was in my 20’s and had to leave my beagle, Daisy, behind. I was unable to find an apartment I could afford that would allow me to have her, and I had no other options.
I was heartbroken and remain heartbroken to this day. Honestly, leaving that little dog was way more painful for me than leaving the man who wasn’t physically violent, but had spent years mistreating me. I still feel guilty about it, and that was more than 30 years ago.
watch my video: the purple leash project
What is The Purple Leash Project?
The project is best described on Purina’s website: “The Purple Leash Project was born out of the Purina mission to bring and keep pets and people together and the RedRover® mission to bring animals and their owners from crisis to care…We envision a world where no one is trapped in abuse because they can’t take their whole family with them.” Watch their video:
They’re doing this by awarding grants to help domestic violence shelters to accept pets. They use volunteers to help with the process and join with others to offer ongoing support for survivors with pets. For much more information, visit Purina’s website HERE, or RedRover’s website HERE.
I Donate to Animal Charities
I Donate to Animal CharitiesThank you for visiting my website. I hope our sharing information about this important issue helps victims of domestic violence be able to keep their beloved pets.
I donate 10% of my earnings to animal charities. You can see a list of the charities I donate to here. Thank you! Debra
