Last September, the Greater Good Charities team hit the road and traveled to Pennsylvania to help complete pet-friendly renovations for a domestic violence shelter in Berks County. The shelter, SAFE Berks, first contacted Don’t Forget the Pets in 2021, seeking support in creating a pet housing program that would allow pets to remain with survivors. They soon began working with Greater Good Charities to lay the groundwork for renovations to make their property more pet friendly. Two site visits spanning three years, and three different layout plans later, their renovations finally came to life!
Pictured: staff dog Murphy, in a newly renovated client bedroom
“We have seen an increase in people calling our hotline asking for emergency shelter services but expressing that they have pets that they do not want to leave behind.”
When SAFE Berks first approached the idea of creating a pet-friendly facility, they were initially unsure about in-room housing. The concept of welcoming pets into residents’ rooms was met with concerns from staff and Board members about allergies, safety, and liability. However, with support from the Don’t Forget the Pets Coaching Program, SAFE Berks was able to address each of these issues and create a welcoming space for both pets and the people who love them.
Beth Garrigan, CEO of SAFE Berks shared, “It was important for SAFE Berks to be able to offer pet-friendly space for survivors because we have seen an increase in people calling our hotline asking for emergency shelter services but expressing that they have pets that they do not want to leave behind.”
“Their pets mean a lot to them, they are their family members, and they don’t want to leave without them.”
Beth shared that before welcoming pets into their shelter, SAFE Berks had previously relied on partnerships with local pet rescues and boarding facilities to house animals offsite. While these partnerships offered a much-needed option for pet owners seeking shelter, it wasn’t ideal. Survivors struggled with the idea of being separated from their pets and missed their presence in their daily lives. Beth shared, “While we work closely with some of our community partners in providing shelter options for pets, that is sometimes not what our survivors want. Their pets mean a lot to them, they are their family members, and they don’t want to leave without them.”
Ultimately, SAFE Berks elected to renovate three bedrooms to accommodate survivors with pets for the duration of their stay. To make their design come to life, Greater Good Charities started by contacting local contractors to get quotes for an outdoor project that would create a safe place for dogs to relax and play.
Meanwhile, inside the building, the team considered different materials that would make the pet-friendly bedrooms both durable and easy to clean. SAFE Berks settled on commercial sheet vinyl flooring, which will last many years and withstand harsh cleaners and dirty paw prints!
“To be able to have a space where they can be together and heal together was very important.”
Pictured: Beth Garrigan and her dog Murphy
In 2024, a renovation grant from Greater Good Charities rounded out the renovation process. A team of staff and volunteers arrived at SAFE Berks to complete construction on their dog play yard, adding a double containment area, a pea gravel ground cover, and some tire tunnels for dog enrichment! Inside the facility, the team gave the hallway a fresh coat of paint, added cat enrichment shelves to the pet-friendly rooms, and some multi-functional pet furniture including lofted beds, dog crates, kitty litter hiders, and more.
“To be able to have a space where they can be together and heal together was very important and that’s the reason why we reached out and wanted to make this happen”, shared Beth.
These renovations were completed with the help of 30 volunteers from a local university, Delaware Valley University’s Animal Lifeline Club, and 5 staff members from the Greater Good Charities’ Rescue Rebuild team. This project had a special place in the Rescue Rebuild team’s heart as 4 out of the 5 staff members involved in this project live in Pennsylvania where the renovation took place!
SAFE Berks hopes to open their pet programming to survivors at the beginning of 2025.
Are you interested in making your domestic violence or homeless shelter pet friendly? We’re here to help! Contact us at DFTP@greatergood.org.
Gabbie Vilanova is an Assistant Program Manager for Greater Good Charities. With a B.S. in Animal Science, she uses her expertise to help construct pet-friendly spaces at shelters throughout the country.
