I wanted to take a moment to blog about Puff & Fluff’s latest partnership with the great folks at Lost Our Home Pet Foundation. This is an exciting venture not just for Puff and Fluff, but for Liz the owner. You see, Liz has been in contact with Jodi, the Founder and Executive Director of Lost Our Home about their latest venture and getting involved. But before I get into details about that, I wanted to briefly highlight the wonderful work Lost Our Home has done and continues to do.
As manager of the shop, I myself have been involved in the animal community for the past 2 years and as such know quite a few people in the rescue/animal community. Recently, a board member of one of those organizations invited several of us to a brunch fundraiser for Lost Our Home. I was excited to attend and meet even more animal lovers on top of helping support a great cause. They had a great turnout and some excellent speakers. It truly invigorated a great fire in me and I knew I needed to share the passion I felt with as many as possible. Lost Our Home’s mission: ¨Our mission is to ensure that all pets have loving homes when families face major life challenges. We provide compassionate options when Realtors and the community find an abandoned pet.¨ Yes, you read correctly - Realtors. In 2008 when we all experienced the recession - the animals felt it in an especially cruel manner, often times being left behind in foreclosed homes with no food or water. This is when Jodi stepped in and began a grassroots effort to save these animals that has now turned into a huge success. When many families felt there were no other options for their four-legged companions, Jodi and her team began taking the initiative to discuss how they could curb the action of many leaving their pets behind. Fast forward to the present and although Lost Our Home has faced many obstacles along the way - they are going strong with a new facility in Tempe and many programs and resources to help those less fortunate keep their four legged friends!
Here now is where Liz steps in, she has joined forces with Jodi in their latest quest to help the animals and their owners - a joint pet shelter with Lost Our Home and the Sojourner Center. The Sojourner Center is one of the largest and oldest domestic violence shelters in the country. Each year, Sojourner Center provides safety and support for nearly 3,000 women and children. Until now, many domestic abuse shelters like these did not allow for these victims to bring their beloved companion animals with. With this joint partnership, it will help many pets be able to stay with those owners that provide comfort and stability, and vice versa, as well as to prevent more homeless pets from entering the shelter system. Liz is working with them to help raise funds as she is passionate about keeping pets with their families. She is donating her time and money into making this endeavor a successful one. Please consider donating to this wonderful cause - keeping families with their pets. The Pet Shelter Program will include specific program components. It will first start with a pilot program that will incorporate the following: 1) concurrent quality pet care; 2) pet therapy; and 3) workforce readiness. To help support this program, you can click HERE and help make an impact in the community not only for the pets, but for their human owners too!
¨To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Expected¨
Thank you!
~Melissa