The Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation's Safe Spaces program reduces barriers for women seeking shelter from domestic violence environments, by assuring them their pets and farm animals are safe. The program partners with representatives from domestic violence shelters, veterinary clinics, animal shelters, farm communities, healthcare and other service providers.

From its beginnings as a small group of people in central Wisconsin committed to helping women who have pets and farm animals flee domestic violence, Safe Spaces has grown to include partners in 12 counties.

Leaving your home to go into a shelter is difficult enough, but leaving home without knowing your pets or farm animals are safe is often impossible. Pets and farm animals are truly part of the family, and it's heart rendering to have to leave them behind. The goal of Safe Spaces is to help communities develop capacity and coordinate resources through the collective creativity of the people working to meet this need.

The Plush Pets Project

A project for children entangled in domestic violence. Learn More

Safe Spaces Mini-Grant Program

Sponsored by the Terrance and Judith Paul Advised Family Fund, $1,000 animal care crisis mini-grants are available to women's domestic violence shelters to help offset the cost of caring for pets and farm animals for women fleeing domestic violence. Contact us for more information.