Washoe County Regional Animal Services (WCRAS) has collaborated with the Washoe County Human Services Agency (HSA) to keep pets and owners together during their stay at Our Place.
Our Place is an outcome-based campus designed to create a safe and stable environment for women and families experiencing homelessness. By collaborating with WCRAS, which provides basic animal care such as a crate, bed, bowls, leashes, litter boxes, food and vaccines, those seeking shelter do not have to choose between their pet and a home.
“Washoe County Regional Animal Services is proud to partner with HSA to assist women and families with pets staying at Our Place” Regional Animal Services Director Shyanne Schull said. “We recognize the importance of pets as part of a family, and when Our Place staff reached out to us for resources to help safely co-house residents and their pets, we were happy to help.”
The two organizations joined forces to establish criteria for the health and safety of pets and guests in Our Place, and to create a system to provide services to the pets.
“When creating Our Place, we knew we wanted to be as inclusive as possible and eliminate barriers to those experiencing homelessness from seeking shelter” HSA Coordinator Kimberly Schweickert said. “One of the barriers we saw most often was the inability for those with pets to access shelter. The Human Services Eligibility staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that all guests with pets have access to the necessary resources when they move in, and thanks to very generous community donations through Animal Services, we are able to provide welcome kits to our furry friends! This partnership has been life changing for our guests with pets and I am proud to be a part of something so special in our community!”
For more information on Animal Services or how you can support this service to the community, visit the website.
Click here to learn more about Our Place.
