Safe Paws: Because Survivors Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Safety and Their Pets

At Dope Soul Village, we get it: leaving an abusive relationship is hard enough. But for many survivors, the hardest part isn’t packing a bag or finding a safe place—it’s leaving behind their furry, feathered, or scaly best friends. Pets aren’t just animals; they’re family, therapy, and sometimes the reason someone finds the courage to finally walk away.

That’s why we’re launching Safe Paws, our pet foster program for domestic violence survivors. It’s simple: we provide temporary, loving homes for pets while their owners escape danger and start rebuilding their lives.

How Safe Paws Works

1. Survivor Intake
   Survivors tell us a bit about themselves and their pets—medical needs, behaviour quirks, and any special care required.

2. Foster Carer Registration
   Loving humans with space, experience, and time to spare sign up as foster carers. We vet carers carefully to make sure each pet is safe, happy, and properly cared for.

3. Matching Pets with Carers
   Using a thoughtful matching system, we connect pets to carers who can meet their specific needs. Dogs, cats, rabbits—even the occasional hedgehog—Safe Paws has you covered.

4. Ongoing Support
   Food, bedding, veterinary care, and regular updates for survivors—because leaving your pet behind shouldn’t mean losing touch.

5. Reunification
   When survivors are ready to move forward in safety, their pets come home. Simple as that.

Why Safe Paws Matters

Pets provide unconditional love during the darkest times. Safe Paws ensures survivors can flee abuse without the heart-wrenching choice of leaving a family member behind. Because at Dope Soul Village, we believe no woman should have to choose between her safety and her pets.

Get Involved

• Foster a Pet: Open your heart and home temporarily.

• Donate: Help cover veterinary care, food, and supplies.

• Spread the Word: Survivors need to know this support exists.

Safe Paws is more than a program—it’s a community. Together, we can make sure survivors leave danger behind without leaving love behind too.

xx Sam