Safe Haven Foster Program
The Wisconsin Humane Society Milwaukee Campus and Sojourner Family Peace Center have partnered to provide the Safe Haven program, which offers up to 60 days of shelter for animals from families affected by domestic violence.
Research finds that 75% of abused women who have companion animals report a history of their companion animal being threatened or intentionally harmed by their intimate partner*. Abusers often use animals as pawns to manipulate and control the survivor, taking advantage of the survivor’s concern for his or her animal. Abusers may threaten, harm, or kill animals to intimidate survivors, demand silence about the abuse, or prevent them from leaving.
Many survivors are unable to leave an abusive situation because they fear for their animal’s safety. The Safe Haven program makes it possible for survivors to leave an abusive relationship without losing their companion animal. Animals provide companionship, comfort, and unconditional love to survivors and their children affected by domestic violence, and preserving the bond between families and their animals is vitally important.
Get Support for Your Pet
Milwaukee-area
To enroll in the Safe Haven program, contact the Sojourner Family Peace Center at 414-933-2722
Outside of Milwaukee
Services vary by community. Click here to find resources available near you.
Support the Program
Thank you for your interest in helping survivors navigate their journey to safety. Your generosity will help save lives – both human and animal.
- Volunteer as a foster parent | Fostering an animal for the Safe Haven program not only provides a comfortable home environment for the animal, but also peace of mind for their family, so they can focus on leaving a dangerous situation. Find more information and apply here.
- Donate | You can contribute directly to the Safe Haven program to help offset the costs of feeding, supplies, and daily care for animals during their stay with us.
“Our friend Joe Pabst has been a driving force in our ability to offer this important program, and we’re so appreciative of his partnership. This program is one of the many ways we are able to fulfill our mission of making a difference for animals AND the people who love them. We are grateful to the Sojourner Peace Center for helping accomplish that, by offering families in these unthinkable situations a safe place for their pets while they find safety themselves.”
-Alison Fotsch, WHS President & CEO
“I come from a family that loves animals. One of my sisters was a victim of domestic violence, and I believe that her pets were an obstacle to her ability to leave. They were very important to her. Despite our efforts and many interventions, we couldn’t save her. In the people the Safe Haven Foster Program helps, I see my sister. I see a survivor. I see a person with another chance.”
-Joseph Pabst
*McDonald, S. E., Collins, E. A., Maternick, A., Nicotera, N., Graham-Bermann, S., Ascione, F. R., & Williams, J. H. (2019). Intimate Partner Violence Survivors’ Reports of Their Children’s Exposure to Companion Animal Maltreatment: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 34(13), 2627-2652. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516689775