Samantha and Tippy
Trapped in a situation of constant domestic abuse, Samantha’s only moments of peace and hope came when she nuzzled Tippy’s furry head beneath her chin. The fact that Samantha was even allowed to take in Tippy in the first place was a miracle. With little money and a partner who wouldn’t allow her to spend money on veterinary care for her canine companion, Samantha dreamed of escaping her situation and bringing Tippy with her. When it became impossible for her to stay any longer, Samantha found the courage to get herself to Anova women’s shelter with Tippy.
Anova wanted to keep Tippy and Samantha together, however Tippy had not been vaccinated or spayed and they could not allow her to stay with Samantha unless both had been completed. Anova contacted PAWS for assistance and even though the local low-cost clinic could not accommodate the urgency of the request for vaccination and spaying, PAWS was able to find a cost-effective alternative and covered the entire cost of vaccinations and spaying to allow Tippy to continue to provide Samantha the love and support she needed to get through this difficult transition.
We don’t want to even think about how many other people are in similar situations, afraid to leave their abusive situations for fear that they won’t be able to bring their animal companion with them. Thankfully, partnerships like the one between PAWS and Anova have evolved to ensure that there is a safe place for every family member.
Anova a women’s shelter in London Ontario, clearly understands the important relationship between a person in a vulnerable situation and their animal companion. With our assistance and support, Anova took the courageous step of making their facility friendly to animal companions. The safety of residents, staff and other animal companions is of the utmost importance to Anova, and like any other facility that accepts animals the condition for acceptance is that all animal companions must be spayed/neutered and fully vaccinated.