How animal shelters and rescues can support pet owners at risk of detention or deportation

As an animal shelter or rescue, your operations are likely to be impacted by intensifying detentions and deportations of immigrants and others in your community.

You may be facing increased owner surrender requests and inquiries about rehoming assistance or temporary foster care for owned pets. Some pet owners may be leery of attending public events, which could affect your efforts to provide vaccinations, microchips or veterinary care to pets in your region.

It’s important for animal shelters and other animal service providers to be prepared for these challenges and offer services that will help keep people and pets together whenever possible.

Humane World for Animals recognizes the immense pressure and burden placed on local shelters and rescues when pets are at risk of being separated from their owners. We’ve compiled this information to provide you with tangible ways to respond in your local area, region and state. Together, as the animal welfare sector, we can help lessen the suffering caused by detentions and deportations.

Planning your response

An important first step is to communicate with your employees so they’re aware of the issue and its implications for your organization. Share the potential challenges and ask for their recommendations on how to create an organized response. Engaging staff in problem-solving and preparation for the response is vital to gaining support for new or expanded programming.
If applicable, review your existing animal services contracts and determine how they may or may not be impacted by detentions and deportations. For example, if your organization is required to receive animals from animal services, you may need to prepare for an increase in intakes. You may also want to proactively reach out to animal services to make them aware of any programs or resources your organization can provide to pet owners impacted by detention or deportation.
Next, meet with your volunteers and donors so they’re also engaged in the issue. As with any crisis, clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders is essential to navigating the challenges effectively. Once a supportive structure is created, you can begin to develop solutions to support your community.

Some resources and considerations

While shelters and rescues aren’t experts on immigration law, it’s important that your team understand individuals’ basic rights as they work to help pet owners. Here are some resources you can share (please note this is not an exhaustive list):
Reach out to your local social service agencies and immigrant advocacy organizations with a clear list of what you can provide (such as pet supplies for temporary foster homes, pet food, vaccinations, free boarding, use of your existing foster network, etc.).
Recognize that some community members may be fearful and hesitant to answer their doors or attend community events. This doesn’t mean services aren’t needed, but delivery methods may need to change (for example, during pet food distributions, your team might leave food on a doorstep rather than knocking on the door).
Proactively let the community know your organization is a resource; this will help ensure greater community trust.

Community support options

Veterinary care: Access to affordable veterinary care is limited or nonexistent for many pet owners even without the concern of deportation. Providing free veterinary care for the pets of people experiencing temporary displacement can prevent an already stressful situation from worsening. Also, for people who are being forced to leave the country, the ability to get vaccinations and, in some cases, a veterinary health certificate could enable them to take their pets with them.

Pet food: With the increased costs of pet food, food support could make a significant difference for families facing loss of income or legal fees.

Financial assistance: Consider creating a fund to help pay for legal assistance and detainee bonds while a pet owner’s case awaits review.

Temporary placement of pets: People are more likely to be successful finding temporary caregivers for their pets if they have support and resources. Here are some ways you can help:

Peer-to-peer placements: Encourage people to think through their own circle of friends, family and social networks for temporary placement of their pets. You might also partner with a supported self-rehoming platform such as Home to Home, which allows owners to search for temporary or permanent homes for pets, or create your own online platform to enable people to identify others in their community willing to be a temporary guardian of their pets.
Basic pet supplies and services: Your organization may provide free supplies and services (similar to what you may already give your foster homes) to people who provide temporary homes for the pets of those being detained or deported. Such support may make the difference in a friend or family member saying “yes” to taking in a pet. Consider offering supplies and services such as:
- Leashes/collars
- Spay/neuter
- Vaccinations
- Licensing (if needed)
- Flea/tick preventative
- Indoor crates
- Litter boxes/litter
- Kennel/fences/trolleys
- Dog houses
- Pet food
Behavior advice and trainer referrals: Changes in environments, stressful moves and being around new people can all create behavioral challenges such as barking, lunging on leash or not using the litter box. Offering behavioral support can be lifesaving.
Pet fees and deposits: These can be beyond the means of many people; offering to cover a one-time fee could enable a friend or family member to take in the pet of someone facing deportation.

Rehoming assistance: For people who are being deported and can’t take their pet with them but have time to seek a permanent home for their pet, you can provide the same support and services you offer people seeking temporary guardians for their pets.

Crisis foster program: Some people won’t have anyone in their network who can care for their pet. If feasible, consider launching a crisis foster care program to meet their needs.

There are various considerations, from legal liability and veterinary care to length of foster time offered. Many shelters have established foster programs for pets of families experiencing homelessness, domestic violence or other crisis situations. With a few simple modifications, their processes and protocols can serve as a model for a foster program that serves the pets of people facing deportation or detention.

To minimize the challenges, set clear expectations from the beginning. Be clear about the length of time a foster situation is available, what will happen if the pet can’t be reunited in that time frame, and relinquishment terms in the unfortunate situation where someone cannot be reunited with their pet.

A simple, straightforward safekeeping agreement may be all your organization needs. For a sample agreement and other paperwork templates, see these forms provided by the Companion Animal Research & Education (CARE) Lab at Virginia Tech, which were created during the Maddie’s Nationwide Fostering Study.

Keys to success:

State in your foster home agreement that posting photos of animals on social media is not allowed. With owned pets, public sharing in this way could create problems and misunderstandings.
Identify fosters who understand the need to support people in a crisis situation and believe in extending compassion and judgment. The shelter can be the liaison between the permanent guardian and foster home to minimize complications and challenges. (Consider using an online platform such as BestyBnB to communicate with pet owners and foster care providers.)
How you talk about the program is critical. As people reach out seeking assistance or enter the shelter intending to surrender their pet, asking the right questions—and engaging with kindness and understanding—will help determine the best course of action for each situation. Training key staff and volunteers on how to provide this new level of support is vital.

Funding your response efforts

To enable your organization to provide any or all of the above-mentioned services and resources:

Partner with local social services and other agencies to create action plans and resource kits for people impacted.
Consider creating a special fund that you can promote to your donors or that could potentially bring in new supporters.
Create a case for support to help donors, volunteers, foundations and other stakeholders understand the fiscal implications of increased animal intake compared to the costs of keeping pets in homes.
Work with other nonprofits in your community to pool resources for support.
Ask for donations of gently used supplies such as leashes/collars, crates, dog houses, etc.
Appeal to large community groups or clubs to donate care package items and host assembly-day activities to prepare a ready supply of care packages.
Build a network of veterinarians willing to partner in your efforts.
Check out the Pets for Life Sustainability Guide for detailed guidance on how to message and fundraise for pet owner support services.

Learn more: See “Preparing for your pets if you're facing potential deportation.”