Mission Pawsible

At Shelter for Family Safety, we provide safety, care and support for our clients, and now we can say the same for their pets.

Last month, we partnered with Mission Pawsible, a Sioux Falls nonprofit that specializes in providing safe, compassionate and temporary housing for animals whose owners are experiencing domestic violence, mental health crises, addiction recovery, long hospital stays or other life-altering events.

Crisis Advocate Maddie Cheever first learned about Mission Pawsible when a client asked if they could bring their two dogs to the Shelter because they feared for the dogs’ safety if left at home. Research shows that there is a strong correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence. In a recent study done by the National Sheriffs’ Association, 89% of women who had companion animals reported that their pets were threatened, harmed or killed by their abusive partner. It’s also been reported that people with pets may delay leaving a dangerous environment for fear of their animals’ safety.

“We sometimes see clients choose not to stay in Shelter because they can’t bring their pets with them. Leaving your pets in a home where they may be harmed is a hard decision to make,” said Maddie. “As a pet owner, I sympathize with them. Pets are more than animals—they are family. They provide comfort and unconditional love when you need it most.”

At the time Maddie was looking for shelter for her clients’ pets, both the Humane Society and Almost Home Canine Rescue—two of our partner organizations—were full and couldn’t take the dogs. Maddie immediately started searching for other options and found Mission Pawsible. She was intrigued to learn that they accept all animals—not just cats and dogs.

While the Humane Society and Almost Home Canine Rescue have been great resources, Maddie noted that some clients hesitate to use these services because these organizations are associated with the word “rescue,” and often, they think that they have to surrender their pets.

“Clients see these organizations as ‘rescues’ and that if they put their pet there, they won't get them back,” she said. “Mission Pawsible gives them another option. It gives them hope knowing that they can come here, heal, and get back to their pet when they are ready—without the fear of losing them.”

To learn more about Mission Pawsible, here is a short Q&A.

Mission Pawsible:

1. What is Mission Pawsible’s mission?
1. Our mission is to provide safe, compassionate, and temporary housing for animals whose owners are experiencing domestic violence, homelessness, mental health crises, addiction recovery, long hospital stays, or other life-altering events. We are committed to ensuring that every individual facing hardship can focus on their recovery and well-being, knowing that their beloved pets are cared for and protected until they can reunite and rebuild their lives together. Through our program, we aim to offer peace of mind and restore connections.

1. How long does it take for a pet to be placed in your program from the time the client contacts you?
1. If we have space, we can often pick up the pet quickly, in some cases, as quickly as 12 hours.

1. Is there a cost?
1. No, we provide our services at no cost to the pet owner! We also provide vaccinations to animals that are not up to date on their shots—also at no cost to the pet owner.

1. What expectations do you have for the pet owner prior to and during the time your program has the pet?
1. We ask the owners to be honest with us about their situation and their pet’s needs. If they need us to foster longer, that’s fine—we just ask for open communication.

1. Is the individual responsible for providing care items such as food or supplies?
1. If a pet requires a special diet, we ask that the owner provide food. Otherwise, we use what they send and fill in anything missing. We often source supplies to send home when it's time to reunite the family.

1. Any information that you think would be helpful for us and our clients to know?
1. Two key things: First, not even our fosters know who the family is unless the family wants to set up visitation. Only the cofounders know the pet’s owner, which protects the families, especially those escaping domestic violence. Second, while not all pets are fostered in Sioux Falls, we will gladly transport pets to Sioux Falls for pre-planned visits if families wish to see them.