About the Purple Leash Project

Purina’s work to help keep domestic violence survivors and their pets together began nearly a decade ago when one of our associates read about the difficult decision that many domestic violence survivors with pets were being forced to make — stay in an abusive situation or leave a beloved pet behind due to the lack of pet-friendly shelters. It didn’t seem fair that pets, who may be the only source of unconditional love and support for a victim, weren’t being considered when it came to sheltering survivors. So, we decided to help.

Since that time, Purina has helped one of the largest domestic violence shelters in the U.S. on it’s journey to become a leading voice and shining example of pet-friendly sheltering. We also helped create the PAWS Act Coalition in support of the Pets and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, which helps domestic abuse victims and their pets by advocating for federal resources dedicated to this cause.

And in 2019, together with RedRover, we created the Purple Leash Project to continue to advocate for change and serve the needs of survivors and their pets at a national level. We do this by awarding grants to help domestic violence shelters become pet-friendly, engaging volunteers to help with the transformations and linking arms with allies to offer ongoing support for survivors with pets as new opportunities arise.

Today, our goal is to help ensure that at least 25 percent of U.S. domestic violence shelters offer pet-friendly survivor services by the end of 2025. But our long-term goal is to fundamentally change the landscape of domestic violence services for survivors with pets, so that no pet owner has to choose between her own safety and the safety of her pet.