More Than A Shelter: Roice-Hurst Humane Society
Photos courtesy of Roice-Hurst Humane Society
When Thomas stood at Roice-Hurst Humane Society’s doorstep with his two beloved Chihuahuas, Maisy and Maggie, after receiving an eviction notice, he planned to surrender them to the shelter. As a college student without a full-time income, finding affordable, pet-friendly housing quickly seemed like an impossible feat. Faced with no other option, Thomas was in tears as he prepared to say a gut-wrenching goodbye to the dogs he’d shared many years of love and companionship with.
Photos courtesy of Roice-Hurst Humane Society
Thomas was approached by April Schlauger, Roice-Hurst Humane Society’s Animal Resource Center Coordinator, who offered a solution through Roice-Hurst’s innovative crisis boarding program, giving Thomas, Maisy and Maggie a chance to preserve their bond. Roice-Hurst would provide boarding for the dogs for up to a month while Thomas continued his search for pet-friendly housing for himself and his dogs.
A month later, Thomas picked up Maisy and Maggie from boarding, and they moved into the pet-friendly apartment that Thomas was able to secure during their time in Roice-Hurst’s boarding program.
“He was just so grateful that he didn’t have to give up his animals,” Schlauger says. “Pets are family. It’s always better for a pet to stay with the people who love them.”
As the coordinator of Roice-Hurst’s Animal Resource Center, Schlauger’s job is to help navigate challenges that threaten the human-animal bond by connecting pet owners to resources that allow them to keep their pets.
By providing pet food and supplies, pet vaccines, spay/neuter surgeries, pet behavior counseling and more, Roice-Hurst’s priority is to make the shelter a last resort for pets.
Anna Stout, Roice-Hurst Humane Society CEO, and Greg Moore, HomewardBound of the Grand Valley Executive Director, with RHHS dog Ginger.
“Despite having a robust enrichment program and compassionate staff and volunteers caring for these animals, the truth is that an animal shelter is simply not the best environment for any pet,” adds Roice-Hurst Humane Society CEO Anna Stout. “By providing these safety-net programs, we’re preventing a pet and pet owner from having to go through the trauma of separation, while the shelter can be reserved for the pets in our community who truly have no other place to go.”
In an effort to keep pets with their people, Roice-Hurst recently collaborated with HomewardBound of the Grand Valley, a human homeless shelter, to provide temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness with their pets through the Homeward Hounds project. Funded by PetSmart Charities, the Abram and Ray Kaplan Foundation, and other local funders, 10 pet-friendly, climate-controlled Pallet shelters are located at HomewardBound’s facility.
Because HomewardBound, like most homeless shelters, isn’t able to accommodate non-service animals inside their building, the Homeward Hounds program allows individuals to sleep securely and privately in dignified housing alongside their pet.
“No other homeless shelter in the country accommodates people sleeping in the same room as their pets,” Stout shares. “We hope that as we develop this program, it can be used as a model in other collaborations across the world.”
Aimee Gilbreath, the president of PetSmart Charities, traveled to Grand Junction from Arizona to spend the night in one of the shelters alongside a shelter dog named Sweet Pea at the project’s unveiling event in December.
“The bond between pets and people is incredible, and the research continues to come out to support how great pets are for our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, especially in times of crisis,” Gilbreath shared at the event. “Why wouldn’t we fund opportunities like this that are collaborative and forward-thinking that make sure that families — including the fourlegged members — stay together?”
Individuals using Homeward Hounds have access to a free, on-site pet pantry stocked by Roice-Hurst, as well as free pet vaccinations and other types of human and pet services from both organizations.
The role that human social work plays in keeping pets happy, safe and healthy isn’t new to Roice-Hurst. In conjunction with human health services, the organization has deployed their mobile veterinary clinic into high-need areas of the community to provide pet vaccinations and spay/neuter.
“When we bring our free or low-cost pet services to human service clinics, our partners often see an increase in participants accessing social services or medical care for themselves,” Stout says. “People truly want to take good care of their pets, and if we can help people become healthier in the process, that’s fantastic. There is an undeniable link between human health and pet health.”
Having a pet around provides numerous health benefits; it lowers stress and blood pressure, encourages movement and exercise, and releases feel-good endorphins. Plus, the responsibility of feeding, socializing and otherwise caring for a pet can enhance mental health by giving purpose to one’s life and providing unconditional companionship.
“We believe that everyone who wants a pet should be able to have a pet that’s right for them,” Stout adds. “We are here to help people be the best pet owners they can be, not only so they can reap the benefits of having that connection with an animal, but so the animal gets a loving family as well.”
To learn more about Roice-Hurst Humane Society’s safety-net programs, adopt a pet or get involved, visit RHhumanesociety.org.
Originally published in the Spring 2022 issue of Spoke+Blossom.