Purina and RedRover bestow 30th Purple Leash Project fund

The 5 latest Purple Leash Project grants from Purina and RedRover will support domestic violence shelters in Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia to help encourage survivors and their pets to flee abuse.

According to a company release, these funds will help the domestic violence shelters make pet-friendly renovations and provide resources to help survivors feel more comfortable leaving their abuser because they will not have to leave their pet behind.

"The Purple Leash Project is focused on easing a survivor's decision to leave abuse," said Nina Leigh Krueger, CEO, and president of Purina, in the release.

"Knowing that there are resources available to them and their four-legged family members aides in their decision to leave. By working together with RedRover, we've helped to provide more than 33,000 safe nights for domestic abuse survivors and their pets with much more work to be done,” she added.

Each of these 5 domestic violence shelters will use the grants to fund projects and services specific to their needs:

• Family Violence Prevention Center of Greene County Inc in Green County, Ohio: will receive $46,055 to create on-site kennels and make an outdoor fenced-in play area. The remaining funds will go toward pet supplies, laundry supplies, and air purifiers for bedrooms and dog rooms.

• Sojourner House in Providence County, Rhode Island: will receive $21,800 to house pets at 1 of their 3 shelters and foster care through the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA). The remaining funds will go to veterinary care, food, pet deposits, and transportation.
• YWCA of Bradford in McKean County, Pennsylvania: will receive $19,000 to develop a separate building on the property for pets to live so their owners can be close and care for them while they can also house survivors who may be allergic to dogs or cats.
• The Spring in Tulsa County, Oklahoma: will receive $10,000 to build kennels, a visitation area, and an outdoor play area. The remaining funds will go toward a new HVAC system.
• Services to Abused Families in Culpeper County, Virginia: will receive $7,950 to update the barn on the property to house dogs and cats and develop a pet bathing station.

"We are so grateful for Purina, RedRover, and the Purple Leash Project for providing funds that allow us to build a safe haven for animals whose owners are fleeing a domestic violence situation," said Shelley Alcorn, program director of the YWCA of Bradford, in the release.

"We often hear of abusers threatening to harm pets if a survivor chooses to leave. Now, we can ensure the safety of survivors and their animals. Our program team is very excited to begin this adventure as our community can vastly benefit from these resources,” she explained.

This latest round of funding marks that 30 grants from Purina totaling more than $500,000 have been donated to domestic violence shelters across the US.

Since the Purple Leash Project’s inception in 2019, Purina has provided more than $1 million in funding and is partnering with RedRover toward a goal of helping to ensure that at least 25% of domestic violence shelters are pet-friendly by 2025, according to the release.

Reference

Purina and RedRover award 30th Purple Leash Project grant to support domestic violence survivors and their pets. News release. Purina. February 8, 2022. Accessed February 8, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-and-redrover-award-30th-purple-leash-project-grant-to-support-domestic-violence-survivors-and-their-pets-301477748.html