Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy joined the Albany Crime Victim and Sexual Violence as they donated pet supplies to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society’s Safe Haven Program. In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, CVSVC conducted a pet supply drive. 

The Safe Haven Program is a partnership between the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society and local domestic violence agencies. The goal of the partnership is to eliminate barriers that prevent victims from leaving abusers by providing emergency care for pets when their owner enters a domestic violence shelter. Once pets are brought into the program, they are housed in a secure and confidential location and provided with food and other necessities. There is no cost to the owner for any of these services.

This year, the Safe Haven program at MHHS has cared for 10 cats and 1 dog. In Albany County in 2022, 2,090 victims reported an act of domestic violence to law enforcement (physical assaults, sexual assaults, and violations of orders of protection). Those who seek to leave their abusers may stay because they don’t want to leave their pets behind. 

Pictured- 5597 CVSVC Deputy Director Amanda Wingle, Director Karen Ziegler, MHHS VP for Development Whitney Philippi with Olive, MHHS CEO Ashley Jeffrey Bouck and CE McCoy with the donated items; 5603- items donated during the CVSVC Pet Supply Drive.