Safe Havens

What Safe Havens does

Safe Havens for Pets is a free, web-based searchable directory that connects domestic violence survivors and individuals experiencing homelessness with sheltering services for their companion animals. Launched in 2011 by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) as the Safe Havens Mapping Project and headquartered in Washington, DC, the directory lists more than 1,200 safe havens across the United States, organized by state, including facilities that either provide direct pet sheltering, maintain relationships with entities that do, or issue referrals. In 2025 the directory was expanded to also cover sheltering services for individuals experiencing homelessness with a pet.

The platform is supplemented by presentation and training services for organizations, downloadable safety-planning resources for professionals and pet owners, a community submission form for adding or correcting listings, and research publications such as the Safe Haven Deserts report. Distribution is driven through social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), earned media coverage, and referral partnerships with the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and a coalition of animal-welfare and victim-services organizations. The core technology is a conventional web directory; there are no disclosed proprietary AI or ML capabilities.

Safe Havens for Pets operates as a program within the nonprofit Animal Welfare Institute and is funded through AWI's operations and grants rather than direct revenue generation. The service is provided at no charge to users, with no subscription, transaction, or listing fees. Since April 2021 the homepage has recorded 122,879 views and the National Domestic Violence Hotline has generated 10,792 referrals to the directory. The small team is led by Claire Coughlin (Director of AWI's Companion Animal Program) and Valerie Peña (Safe Havens for Pets Manager), succeeding founder Dr. Mary Lou Randour.

Name

Safe Havens

Legal name

Animal Welfare Institute

Website

https://safehavensforpets.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Safe Havens for Pets is a free national web directory, run by the Animal Welfare Institute, that helps domestic violence survivors and homeless individuals locate sheltering services for their companion animals across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services Directory

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Pet sheltering directory
• Domestic violence support
• Homeless pet services
• Animal welfare programs
• Companion animal safety

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Free Directory Service: Safe Havens for Pets operates as a free public resource directory managed by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). The service provides no-cost access to a searchable database of pet sheltering services for domestic violence survivors and homeless individuals. The program is funded through AWI's operations and grants rather than direct revenue generation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Safe Havens for Pets maintains a free, publicly searchable online directory of more than 1,200 state-organized safe havens that shelter the companion animals of domestic violence survivors and individuals experiencing homelessness. The directory is continuously refined and updated, lists entities that directly provide shelter, partner with providers, or refer clients to such facilities, and is supplemented by training presentations and downloadable safety-planning resources for professionals and pet owners.

Product overview

Safe Havens for Pets is a single unified product — a searchable online directory — operated by the Animal Welfare Institute since 2011. The core Safe Havens for Pets Directory enables domestic violence survivors and individuals experiencing homelessness to locate pet sheltering services nationwide. It is supplemented by training and presentation services, a safe haven submission form for organizations to add or update listings, downloadable safety planning resources for professionals and pet owners, and research reports on safe haven distribution and program needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Safe Havens for Pets Directory A free, searchable online directory organized by state that helps domestic violence survivors and individuals experiencing homelessness locate sheltering services for their companion animals. Listings include entities that directly provide animal shelter, partner with providers, or refer clients to such facilities.
• Safe Havens for Pets Training Services Presentation and training services delivered by the Safe Havens for Pets team to organizations that want to understand safe havens for pets and the relationship between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence. Requests are submitted through an online training request form.

Quantifiable outcome

• 122,879 homepage views and 10,792 National Domestic Violence Hotline referrals since April 2021

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, moderate and minor.

• Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011AWI launched the Safe Havens for Pets directory in 2011 and continues to manage and fund the platform. AWI is an animal protection organization working since 1951 to alleviate suffering inflicted on animals by humans.
• National Domestic Violence HotlinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partnership providing 10,792 referrals to Safe Havens for Pets since April 2021. The Hotline directs domestic violence survivors to the Safe Havens directory for pet sheltering resources.
• National Network to End Domestic ViolencemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner with coalitions in every US state, territory, and District of Columbia that can direct domestic violence survivors to services in their area.
• Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization addressing the link between animal cruelty and family violence within the justice system.
• Battered Women's Justice ProjectmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner addressing interpersonal violence and its connection to animal cruelty.
• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court JudgesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working on issues at the intersection of animal cruelty and family violence.
• National Resource Center on Domestic ViolencemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner providing resources on domestic violence issues and animal welfare connections.
• National Coalition Against Domestic ViolencemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization addressing all forms of interpersonal violence in collaboration with AWI.
• RedRovermoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of Don't Forget the Pets Training Handbook and Coaching Program for starting pet housing programs; provides Safe Escape Grants and Safe Housing Grants for DV survivors.
• Greater Good CharitiesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner powering Don't Forget the Pets Training Handbook; sponsors Rescue Rebuild program for homeless housing renovation; provides GOODS Program for pet supplies.
• PetSmart CharitiesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Don't Forget the Pets Training Handbook and coaching program for starting pet housing programs.
• BestyBnBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeb-based platform enabling domestic violence agencies to search and secure long and short-term pet boarding options for survivors' pets during crisis; used by individuals to find pet boarding services.
• My Dog Is My HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides education, consultations, and training related to co-sheltering for people experiencing homelessness with a pet.
• Office for Victims of CrimemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner featuring interviews and resources on shelter services for survivors and their companion animals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: Large incumbent animal welfare organization with broad programs including anti-cruelty and DV-related initiatives — represents a potential consolidator or competitor with vastly greater resources than Safe Havens for Pets.
• Humane Society of the United States: Major national animal welfare organization with companion animal and cruelty-prevention programs — broader portfolio but overlapping mission territory including animal cruelty and family violence work.
• Maddie's Fund: Large family foundation focused on animal welfare innovation, including community shelter and DV pet programs — represents an institutional funder that could choose to launch a competing directory.
• PetSmart Charities: Major pet welfare funder sponsoring the Don't Forget the Pets training handbook alongside Safe Havens for Pets — adjacent funder with capacity to vertically integrate similar directory/training programs.

Others

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Primary referral partner sending survivors to Safe Havens for Pets; not a competitor but a complementary ecosystem actor whose strategic priorities directly affect referral volume to the directory.

Direct peers

• RedRover: National nonprofit that provides Safe Escape Grants and Safe Housing Grants for DV survivors with pets and co-developed the Don't Forget the Pets training program with Safe Havens for Pets — operates in the same pet sheltering/DV intersection with directly overlapping mission.
• Pets of the Homeless: Nonprofit operating pet food banks, emergency veterinary care, and a 'Safe Place' directory for pets of unhoused individuals — directly comparable to Safe Havens for Pets' homelessness expansion in 2025.
• My Dog Is My Home: Provides education, consultations, and training related to co-sheltering for people experiencing homelessness with a pet — listed partner and direct peer in the co-sheltering education niche.
• BestyBnB: Web-based platform enabling DV agencies to search and secure long and short-term pet boarding options — direct partner of Safe Havens for Pets and a technology-enabled directory in the same problem space.

Emerging players

• Purple Leash Project: Purina + RedRover initiative funding co-sheltering renovations at DV shelters — operates in the same pet-friendly sheltering space with a focused, sponsor-funded model that could scale quickly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/safehavens4pets
• Facebookfacebook.com/safehavensforpets
• Instagraminstagram.com/safehavensforpets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safe Havens