"One city domestic violence shelter has opened its doors to an often overlooked member of the family....
"Keeping that in mind, the Urban Resource Institute has partnered with the alliance to create the PALS program: People and Animals Living Safely....
"It's a pilot program with 10 units opening up this June.Ā It's also the first co-sheltering program in the city.
"Whole families need to be together in order to heal. So pets are part of that family," says Fields.
The Alliance made the apartments pet-friendly, with litter boxes, window screens, toys, food and crates.
"At least in domestic violence, they're the silent victim. I think that they're targeted first often in these kind of situations," says Mayor's Alliance for New York City Animals Social Worker Jenny Coffey....
"For now, the URI-PALS shelters can accommodate small animals including gerbils, birds, and cats.Ā In December they will start taking in dogs and the hope is that at some point all URI shelters will be pet friendly...."
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