OkcPets Magazine July 2021

40 OKC Pets • July/August 2021 W hen Palomar: Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center and the Oklahoma Humane Society partnered and launched the Animal Ad- vocacy Program in the fall of 2018, they had one goal in mind—to provide crisis services to animals affected by domestic violence. Both organizations knew there was an urgent need for such services. Accord- ing to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 71% of pet-own- ing women entering women’s shelters reported that their batterer had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control their victim, and nearly 50% of domestic violence victims have delayed leaving their abusers out of fear of harm to their animals. What the two organizations have discovered in almost three years since launching the program is the demand for temporary foster care services for the pets of domestic violence victims—a corner- stone of the Animal Advocacy Program— is outpacing the program’s ability to meet the need. “The tremendous need for the Animal Advocacy Program has greatly exceeded our expectations. Before starting the program, we anticipated that the need was there, but we didn’t have any solid data of what the need would look like,” says Anden Bull, chief operating officer of Palomar, regarding the status of the program. “The sheer number of animals and clients this program has been able to bring to safety has vastly exceeded any number I anticipated in 2018.” Brittany Crow, animal advocacy coordinator, is an employee with the Oklahoma Humane Society who offices at Palomar. Crow says since January of 2019—when they started accepting cli- ents—the program has served 492 people and 1,013 animals. The high demand for fostering services has led to a waitlist. “For those who are seeking safety and need a safe place for their animals while they work the progress of safely leaving their abuser and securing housing, we Palomar and the Oklahoma Humane Society’s Animal Advocacy Program for Victims of Domestic Violence Demand for fostering services for pets of domestic violence victims soars By Shauna Lawyer Struby UPDATE Presley Chandler, Jordan Thomas, Rhino, Sean St. Aimie and A.J. France.