Organization offers pet harbor

Between 25 and 40 percent of battered women are unable to escape abusive situations because they worry about what will happen to their pets if they leave, according to the American Humane Association Web site.

UCF women's studies professor Leandra Preston created the Animal Safehouse of Brevard to foster the pets of domestic violence victims while they're in shelter. Volunteers take, feed and care for the pets while the women relocate and transition to a safe place. The animals are returned when the women are ready.

"A lot of women don't want to leave if they have to leave their pets behind, and a lot of abusers use pets as tools of domestic violence," Preston said. "So it's really important to get the animals out of the house."

Various studies show a distinct link between animal abuse and domestic violence. Up to 75 percent of domestic violence victims reported that their partners threatened or killed family pets, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Despite the statistics, many domestic violence shelters such as Serene Harbor in Brevard do not have the facilities to take in the pets of women.

"It's something that we'd like to be able to offer, but obviously you have to have a kennel and have to have pet food, and somebody to take care of the animals, and all that," said Melody Keeth, executive director of Serene Harbor. "It's a staffing issue and not the easiest thing to do.

"But with someone like Leandra stepping up to try to bridge the gap for us, it's very much a needed service."

In the Animal Safehouse program,  different volunteers who have taken animals into their homes currently have five cats and one dog among them.

Preston said she hopes to eventually expand the program.

"The more animals we have means that more women are seeking shelter," Preston said.

Preston and some of her current and former students are working toward getting the organization classified as a nonprofit with the next several months as well as create a formal student organization at UCF that will be affiliated with Animal Safehouse. She started developing the organization and exploring two years ago, working with domestic violence shelters and contacting humane societies.

"It took me about a year to lay the groundwork because I felt like I had to have everything just right before I started taking animals," Preston said. "But then I realized that I was going to just have to start taking animals and figure it out as I went along because I started getting calls from people who needed them.

"And so I just started taking them in and finding fosters as I went along."

She has a list of people who are interested and able to foster animals. When she has animals that need to be placed, she contacts them, or sends out e-mails and Facebook messages to group members. Preston said fosters are typically needed for a month, and though many of the animals may not return to their owners in that time, some pets might be rotated through several different fosters.

Layah Millman, who graduated from UCF in December 2007, is fostering a dog at the moment. She is also involved by researching local pet stores, making connections with vets and trying to get sponsors for food and other needed items. When she first heard Preston talking about creating this organization in class, she said she was personally intrigued. She had been in a past relationship where her partner had threatened her animals.

"I was actually in a relationship that was volatile, and so I really I can relate to these women," Millman said.

Arielle Schwartz, who graduated in May, is another proponent of Animal Safehouse. She helps table and market the organization. She said she cares about this cause because she knows people who have had to deal with domestic violence.

"Too many people are not leaving these violent relationships, whether that be a brother, father, boyfriend, husband, because they feel like they're doing it alone," Schwartz said.

"And if one more person can leave because they know that I'm here to help them and that there is a program that will help you and can help you, then I think it's worth it."

People wanting to get involved can provide food, collars, crates, leashes and anything needed to take care of an animal, or fundraise, promote, foster, transport animals and try to establish partnerships with pets and groomers. The group has a Paypal account set up for donations to help pay for expenses. Preston said, as an example, in the past couple weeks, one cat had to be taken to the vet, and it cost them more than $100.

For more information or to get involved e-mail animalsafehouse@gmail.com or join the Facebook group, Animal Safehouse of Brevard.