Ruthless Kindness

RUTHLESS KINDNESS, A VETERINARIAN-FOUNDED ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE INTERSECTION OF ANIMAL WELFARE AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, WILL SUPPORT EMERGENCY AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR COMPANION ANIMALS IN SONOMA, NAPA, SOLANO, AND LAKE COUNTIES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THIS PROJECT ADVANCES A PROVEN AND HIGH-IMPACT SOLUTION THAT STRENGTHENS VICTIM SAFETY AND HOUSING ACCESS. THE INITIATIVE BUILDS ON A COLLABORATIVE MODEL IN WHICH RUTHLESS KINDNESS PARTNERS WITH THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER MODEL, WHICH UNITES MULTIPLE VICTIM SERVICE AGENCIES UNDER ONE ROOF, AS WELL AS OTHER VICTIM SERVICE PARTNERS THROUGH FOUR COUNTIES. THIS STRUCTURE SUPPORTS VICTIMS WITH PETS FROM MULTIPLE SAFE HOUSES AND VICTIM SERVICE AGENCIES, AND DELIVERS INTEGRATED, SURVIVOR-CENTERED SERVICES THAT ENSURE FAMILIES AND THEIR PETS CAN ESCAPE VIOLENCE, ACCESS SAFE HOUSING, AND BEGIN HEALING. THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT CREATION OF PET-FRIENDLY HOUSING, ALTERNATIVE HOUSING OPTIONS, PET FOSTER AND BOARDING, AND INTERAGENCY TRAINING. FUNDS WILL ALSO PARTIALLY SUPPORT A PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND VETERINARY MEDICINE FOR THE PETS OF VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

INCREASING ACCESS TO SHELTER AND SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH PETS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA   SONOMA COUNTY (POPULATION 480,000) HAS ONE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (DV) SHELTER PROVIDING 32 BEDS. IT IS NOT PET-FRIENDLY. NEIGHBORING NAPA (134,609), LAKE (65,000), AND MARIN (259,441) COUNTIES ALSO HAVE DV SHELTERS THAT ARE NOT PET-FRIENDLY.       RUTHLESS KINDNESS IS A 501C3 NON-PROFIT WORKING EXCLUSIVELY AT THE INTERSECTION OF ANIMALS AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE. TO REACH THE 12–48% OF VICTIMS WHO WILL NOT LEAVE VIOLENCE IF IT MEANS LEAVING THEIR PET(S), RUTHLESS KINDNESS PROVIDES FREE MOBILE PET-SERVICES, FREE MOBILE VETERINARY CARE, PARTNERSHIP/CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL DV SHELTERS, AND STAKEHOLDER TRAINING. SINCE 2017, RK HAS SERVED MORE THAN 750 VICTIMS WITH PETS.   PRIMARY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: I) DEVELOPING PET-FRIENDLY HOUSING FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR PETS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, II) DEVELOPING A FOSTER CARE NETWORK FOR EMERGENCY AND TEMPORARY ANIMAL HOUSING, III) EXPANDING MOBILE VETERINARY SERVICES TO ENSURE ALL PETS HAVE VACCINES, RECORDS, AND SUPPLIES FOR SAFE HOUSING, IV) TRAINING KEY STAKEHOLDERS, V) EXPANDING SERVICES IN SPANISH.   DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: CREATION OF THE FIRST PET-FRIENDLY DV HOUSING IN SONOMA COUNTY. EXPANDING FREE MOBILE PET SERVICES TO LAKE, NAPA, AND MARIN COUNTIES, SERVING A MINIMUM OF 250 PETS OF DV VICTIMS ANNUALLY. INCREASED VETERINARY SERVICES TO REMOVE HOUSING BARRIERS FOR VICTIMS. MINIMUM OF 15 CLINICS PER YEAR ON-SITE AT FACILITIES SERVING DV VICTIMS. DEVELOPMENT OF A RELIABLE, TRAINED FOSTER NETWORK FOR PETS OF DV VICTIMS. FORMATION OF THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LINK COALITION TO TRAIN ANIMAL AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ANIMAL AND HUMAN VIOLENCE. PROVISION OF RESOURCES AND FORMS IN SPANISH. NEW MOUS WITH 4+ AGENCIES TO EXPAND ANIMAL HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. GRANT FUNDS SUPPORT MEDICATIONS, VACCINES, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES FOR VICTIMS AND THEIR PETS. FUNDS ALSO SUPPORT A PROGRAM DIRECTOR SALARY, COMPLETION OF ANIMAL-FRIENDLY HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES, DEVELOPMENT OF A FOSTER NETWORK, BOARDING CONTRACTS, AND EXPANSION OF SPANISH RESOURCES. GRANT FUNDS DIRECTLY SERVE DV VICTIMS AND THEIR ANIMALS IN SONOMA, NAPA, MARIN AND LAKE COUNTIES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, REGARDLESS OF AGE, GENDER, RACE, ETHNICITY, DISABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR RELIGION. CLIENTS TYPICALLY MEET POVERTY LEVELS AND HAVE NO SUPPORT OPTIONS FOR THEIR ANIMALS.  THIS PROJECT FITS THE CRITERIA FOR PRIORITY CONSIDERATION AS IT ADVANCES RACIAL EQUITY BY PROVIDING PET-RELATED SERVICES/RESOURCES IN SPANISH, WHICH IMPROVES ACCESS TO CARE FOR OUR UNDERSERVED HISPANIC COMMUNITY (27% OF SONOMA COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE HISPANIC).