Support Domestic Violence Survivors & Pets on The Safe Haven Network Young Professionals Board!

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We are currently looking to expand our Young Professionals Board! The Young Professionals Board supports The Safe Haven Network by raising awareness through community outreach events and social media. If you have a passion for animals and domestic violence advocacy, and especially if you have fundraising, marketing, or previous board experience, we would love to add you to our team!

How long would you live in your car with your dog? Victims of domestic violence have been known to live in their cars with their pets for up to four months, waiting for a safe, pet-friendly situation to open for them. Up to 70% of domestic violence victims report having a pet, and many abusers use that pet as a tool to manipulate the victim and exacerbate the abuse. Approximately 20-48% of battered women have refused to leave a dangerous situation for fear of their pets’ safety. The families that do choose to leave, especially the children, often experience additional trauma when separated from their beloved pets.

The Safe Haven Network recognizes the incredible importance of a family’s connection with their pets, and our goal is to create a system by which families facing domestic violence can escape to safety with their pets. We are achieving this goal through a referral program that connects domestic violence advocates to temporary emergency boarding facilities for the pets. While the families stay in a domestic violence shelter, the pets stay in their own shelter, safe from harm while they await their reunion with their families. By providing this service, we encourage victims to leave their abusers with the confidence that their pets will be safe and that they are not giving their pets up, but will reunite as a family.

The Safe Haven Network is a young, grassroots organization. By joining the YPB, you can help form this innovative and vital program - you can be there from the beginning! Are you ready to join us? We can't wait to hear from you!

Commitments:

• Attend at least three (3) of the four (4) quarterly General Board Meetings;

• Attend at least two (2) Young Professionals Board events, including the annual National Domestic Violence Awareness Month event

• Participate in two (2) Young Professionals Board volunteer opportunities per year

• Sign a commitment letter for each calendar year

• Generate one (1) social media post per week

• Approximate time commitment: 2-4 hours per month