10/17/2026
Welcome back to Animal Welfare 101! We’re here to give YOU the facts you need to become an Animal Welfare Warrior!
This is week TWO of our Domestic Violence Awareness Month series. This week, we’re talking about safety planning for survivors with pets!
📃Proving Ownership
It can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. Having multiple forms of documentation to prove that you own your pet can be a good first step. Make sure your pet’s medical records and license are under your name. If this has already been done and your name isn’t listed as an owner, take further steps to get that updated by calling your veterinarian and requesting the information be changed. If your pet is microchipped, make sure your abuser isn’t listed as a contact and that your contact information is up to date. You can update your pet’s ID tag as well to only include your contact information.
🏠Finding Temporary Care
If you are planning to leave, reach out to friends, family, or even your veterinarian about temporarily caring for your pet. You can also search for services in your area that assist survivors with safekeeping for their pets. Some domestic violence shelters may allow survivors to be housed with their pets. To find safe havens for your pets nearby, check out www.safehavensforpets.org
Make sure to check back next week to learn more about co-sheltering options for survivors and their pets!
⚖️“Can I take legal action?”
Absolutely! Things like Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) can protect both you and your pet. In Michigan, PPOs can protect your pet from:
1. Being injured, killed, tortured, or neglected by your abuser (along with threats to do so).
2. Being removed from your possession by the abuser.
3. The abuser retaining or obtaining possession of the animal.
When filing for a PPO, make sure to check the boxes under Section J to ensure your pets receive the protection they need. If you need to act quickly, you can ask the court to give you a PPO without notifying your abuser and without waiting for a hearing where the abuser will be present. To do this, ask for an “ex parte” PPO. For more info on filing for a PPO, visit https://www.michigan.gov/voices4/sexual-assault/legal/ppo
🐾 How Harbor Humane Helps
If your pet isn’t licensed in Ottawa County, or you need to update your pet’s licensing information, feel free to stop by and our staff can assist you. If your pet isn’t microchipped, you can visit us anytime we’re open to get this done and get the microchip registered with your information. We can also help you print a new engraved, customized name tag for your pet to update the contact information on their collar. If you’re concerned that your abuser may try to bring your pet in as a stray or abandoned somewhere, you can always give us a call or email us at [email protected] so we can keep an eye out for your pet and contact you if they come into our possession.
Keep an eye out for our Animal Welfare 101 posts this month to learn more about domestic violence, animal welfare, and how to support survivors with pets!
💜 Need Support?
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can provide you with support and safe resources.
📞 Call 800-799-SAFE (7233)
💬 Text START to 88788
🌐 Visit thehotline.org
