Grants to USA and territories local, tribal, and state government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and animal welfare organizations to provide shelter for domestic abuse victims and their companion animals. Applicants are advised to complete required registrations prior to applying. Applicants may apply for large or mini awards.

The decision to leave an abusive situation can be made ever more difficult for the victim when it involves leaving a pet behind. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 71% of petowning women entering domestic violence shelters reported that the abuser threatened, harmed, or killed the family pet. Animal abuse can also be an indicator of domestic violence and is an early warning sign of concurrent or future violence.

This grant program will enable domestic violence shelters to become pet-friendly so that victims of domestic violence and their pets may seek safe shelter together. A large majority of domestic violence shelters do not allow pets, and the reasons for this may vary. Therefore, this program will provide funding for those shelters that want to be able to house domestic violence victims and their pets. Examples of program activities include purchasing kennels; installing pet amenities; partnering with veterinarians to provide species-specific medical care; housing relocation; pet boarding; shelter modifications; and other activities related to providing services to support housing domestic violence victims and their pets together.

The purpose of this program, per 34 U.S.C. 20127(b)(3), is to support projects that provide the following:

• Emergency and transitional shelter and housing assistance for domestic violence victims with companion animals, including modifications to existing structures to provide for housing animals and the operating expenses of newly developed or existing emergency and transitional companion animal shelters for companion animals, regardless of whether such shelter is co-located at a victim housing service provider or is elsewhere within the community. (Note: Minor modifications or renovations to existing structures are permissible under this program. Construction involving the breaking of new ground is not permissible under OVC’s authorizing statute.)
• Short-term shelter and housing assistance for domestic violence victims with companion animals, including expenses incurred for the temporary shelter, housing, boarding, or fostering of their companion animals and other expenses that are incidental to securing the safety of such an animal during the sheltering, housing, or relocation of such victims.
• Support services designed to enable persons who are fleeing a situation of domestic violence to locate and secure safe housing with the victim’s companion animal; safe accommodations for the victim’s companion animal; or companion animal-related services, such as transportation, care services, and other assistance.
• Training for relevant stakeholders on the link between domestic violence and the abuse and neglect of companion animals; the needs of victims of domestic violence; best practices for providing support services to such victims; best practices for providing such victims with referrals to victim services; and the importance of confidentiality. 

Grantees will make the housing and supportive services described above available to a victim for a period of not more than 24 months, which may be extended an additional 6 months in the case of a victim who has made a good faith effort to acquire permanent housing for themselves and the victim’s companion animal during that 24-month period and has been unable to acquire permanent housing within that period. 

Note: Mini awards under this category are designed for shelters and other transitional housing services for victims of domestic violence and their companion animals that may be seeking funding only for smaller purchases such as kennels, cages, crates, pet supplies, beds, and other items that may be necessary to housing domestic violence victims and pets together. 

OJP Priority Areas can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/funding/fy-2022/o-ovc-2022-171309.pdf#page=8.