Keeping Pets With Families
Community Approach
We recognize many pet owners in our community face unexpected circumstances leading to the heart-breaking need to surrender their pets. In order to ensure adequate resources are available to address the highest need and directly impact our overburdened shelter system, our program is focused on the shelter and community outreach level.
Through partnerships with Lost Our Home Pet Rescue, Arizona Animal Welfare League, UMOM New Day Centers, and Keys to Change, The Arizona Pet Project is able to offer financial assistance and resources to pets and families keeping loved pets out of shelters where they face an uncertain fate.
Since its inception, our shelter intervention program has successfully prevented over 10,000 dogs and cats from entering the shelter.
Currently, human service agencies are limited in their ability to independently address the needs of their pet-owning clients as they have neither the financial resources nor the requisite skills.
As a result, people are choosing to remain homeless, in unsafe domestic environments, or forego vital medical treatment, rather than surrender their beloved pet.
Shelter Intervention
Through our “Shelter Intervention” programs, full-time Arizona Pet Project counselors are stationed at shelters where the demand for assistance is high. These staff members work with pet owners to provide counseling and resource referral services to keep pets with the people who love them – just like Suzy and Joe. See their story in the video.
Statewide Expansion
In 2023, The Arizona Pet Project received American Rescue Plan Act grant funding from the Arizona Governor’s office to embark on statewide expansion, reaching pet owners experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness beyond Maricopa County.
We’ve established relationships with organizations across the state and hired our first social worker outside of Maricopa County in 2023!
Supporting Pima County by placing a social worker in Southern Arizona has enabled The Arizona Pet Project to reach even more pet families in and around Tucson struggling to maintain housing due to unforeseen veterinary and housing costs.
But the work is far from done! With support from compassionate people like you who understand the importance of preserving the human-animal bond, we continue our expansion journeys to regions including but not limited to Yavapai County and Coconino County!
