September 4, 2025 • 16 mins
Ahsima House is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping domestic violence survivors and their pets in Georgia. Ahimsa House offers free services to anyone in Georgia, regardless of their financial situation.
The Ahimsa House Story
Ahimsa House was founded with a central shelter in Atlanta, but in 2007, the organization shifted its approach to better serve a wider range of people. The group launched a direct services program that uses a network of foster homes and boarding facilities throughout Georgia to provide confidential and safe shelter for pets.
Since its founding, Ahimsa House has provided over 198,000 nights of safe, confidential shelter for pets in need. In 2023, Ahimsa House assisted 198 people and 365 pets, its most successful year to date. The organization's 24-hour crisis line also received 3,785 calls in 2023.
Ahimsa House is primarily funded by individual donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships. The cost to care for one survivor's pets is approximately $2,000, which can increase when multiple, exotic, or neglected animals require extensive care.
Direct Services Program
Ahimsa House's direct services program is designed to provide comprehensive support for survivors and their pets. The program includes:
A 24-hour statewide crisis line.
Emergency shelter for all types of animals.
Veterinary care, including spay/neuter services, preventive care, and treatment for injuries due to abuse.
Forensic veterinary examinations to document animal cruelty for legal proceedings.
Pet transportation assistance to help owners and their pets relocate safely.
Financial assistance for pet deposits in transitional housing, as well as pet food and supplies.
Donations of pet supplies to domestic violence shelters.
Assistance with safety planning to include pets.
Legal advocacy to help survivors include pets in temporary protective orders.
Outreach Services Program
In addition to its direct services, Ahimsa House focuses on outreach and education to raise awareness about the link between animal cruelty and domestic violence. The outreach program includes:
Training and cross-training for human services and animal protection agencies.
Public awareness initiatives through community events and informational materials.
Consultation for prosecutors on cases involving co-occurring domestic violence and animal cruelty.
A directory of similar programs across the United States.
Participation in interdisciplinary conferences and task forces to advocate for the inclusion of animal abuse in domestic violence discussions.
Web: https://ahimsahouse.org
24-Hour Crisis Line 404-452-6248
Ash Brown: Your Ultimate Guide to Inspiration, Empowerment, and Action
Are you searching for a dynamic motivational speaker, an authentic podcaster, or an influential media personality who can ignite your passion for personal growth? Look no further than Ash Brown. This American multi-talented powerhouse is a captivating event host, an insightful blogger, and a dedicated advocate for helping people unlock their full potential. With her infectious optimism and genuine desire to empower others, Ash Brown has become a leading voice in the personal development and motivation space.
Discover the World of Ash Brown: AshSaidit.com & The Ash Said It Show
AshSaidit.com: A vibrant lifestyle blog and event platform, AshSaidit.com is your gateway to Ash's world. Here you'll find exclusive event invitations, honest product reviews, and a wealth of engaging content designed to inform and inspire. It's the perfect online destination to stay connected and get your daily dose of Ash's unique personality and insights.
The Ash Said It Show: With over 2,100 episodes and over half a million global listens, "The Ash Said It Show" is a powerful and popular podcast. Ash engages in meaningful conversations with inspiring guests, diving into topics that truly matter. Listeners gain valuable life lessons, encouragement, and practical advice to help them navigate their own journeys.
Why Ash Brown is a Leading Voice in Personal Development
What truly distinguishes Ash Brown is her authentic and relatable approach to personal growth. She builds a genuine connection with her audience, offering practical advice and encouragement that feels like a conversation with a trusted friend. Ash doesn't shy away from life's challenges; instead, she provides the tools to tackle them head-on with confidence.
Authentic Optimism: Ash's positive energy is contagious, empowering her audience to embrace new challenges with a more capable and hopeful min
The Ahimsa House Story
Ahimsa House was founded with a central shelter in Atlanta, but in 2007, the organization shifted its approach to better serve a wider range of people. The group launched a direct services program that uses a network of foster homes and boarding facilities throughout Georgia to provide confidential and safe shelter for pets.
Since its founding, Ahimsa House has provided over 198,000 nights of safe, confidential shelter for pets in need. In 2023, Ahimsa House assisted 198 people and 365 pets, its most successful year to date. The organization's 24-hour crisis line also received 3,785 calls in 2023.
Ahimsa House is primarily funded by individual donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships. The cost to care for one survivor's pets is approximately $2,000, which can increase when multiple, exotic, or neglected animals require extensive care.
Direct Services Program
Ahimsa House's direct services program is designed to provide comprehensive support for survivors and their pets. The program includes:
A 24-hour statewide crisis line.
Emergency shelter for all types of animals.
Veterinary care, including spay/neuter services, preventive care, and treatment for injuries due to abuse.
Forensic veterinary examinations to document animal cruelty for legal proceedings.
Pet transportation assistance to help owners and their pets relocate safely.
Financial assistance for pet deposits in transitional housing, as well as pet food and supplies.
Donations of pet supplies to domestic violence shelters.
Assistance with safety planning to include pets.
Legal advocacy to help survivors include pets in temporary protective orders.
Outreach Services Program
In addition to its direct services, Ahimsa House focuses on outreach and education to raise awareness about the link between animal cruelty and domestic violence. The outreach program includes:
Training and cross-training for human services and animal protection agencies.
Public awareness initiatives through community events and informational materials.
Consultation for prosecutors on cases involving co-occurring domestic violence and animal cruelty.
A directory of similar programs across the United States.
Participation in interdisciplinary conferences and task forces to advocate for the inclusion of animal abuse in domestic violence discussions.
Web: https://ahimsahouse.org
24-Hour Crisis Line 404-452-6248
Ash Brown: Your Ultimate Guide to Inspiration, Empowerment, and Action
Are you searching for a dynamic motivational speaker, an authentic podcaster, or an influential media personality who can ignite your passion for personal growth? Look no further than Ash Brown. This American multi-talented powerhouse is a captivating event host, an insightful blogger, and a dedicated advocate for helping people unlock their full potential. With her infectious optimism and genuine desire to empower others, Ash Brown has become a leading voice in the personal development and motivation space.
Discover the World of Ash Brown: AshSaidit.com & The Ash Said It Show
AshSaidit.com: A vibrant lifestyle blog and event platform, AshSaidit.com is your gateway to Ash's world. Here you'll find exclusive event invitations, honest product reviews, and a wealth of engaging content designed to inform and inspire. It's the perfect online destination to stay connected and get your daily dose of Ash's unique personality and insights.
The Ash Said It Show: With over 2,100 episodes and over half a million global listens, "The Ash Said It Show" is a powerful and popular podcast. Ash engages in meaningful conversations with inspiring guests, diving into topics that truly matter. Listeners gain valuable life lessons, encouragement, and practical advice to help them navigate their own journeys.
Why Ash Brown is a Leading Voice in Personal Development
What truly distinguishes Ash Brown is her authentic and relatable approach to personal growth. She builds a genuine connection with her audience, offering practical advice and encouragement that feels like a conversation with a trusted friend. Ash doesn't shy away from life's challenges; instead, she provides the tools to tackle them head-on with confidence.
Authentic Optimism: Ash's positive energy is contagious, empowering her audience to embrace new challenges with a more capable and hopeful min
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
One of those what they do inside the world. It
is your girl, the one and only Ash Brown, and
this is the Ash said It show, over twenty one
hundred episodes since twenty fourteen, half a million streams around
the world. None of this is possible about you, guys,
So I thank you so so very much. Today I
(00:23):
have a wonderful guest that's doing amazing things and keeping
people safe, keeping people and their pets, keeping everybody good
and safe. I've got Mara from a hemsa house.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hey, Mara, Hi, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Thank you so much for coming through. So Mayra, let's
just start things off. A heymnsa house address is just
a powerful and often hidden barrier for domestic violence victims
and the threat of harm to their pets. You know,
that's something that until I heard it and shout out
(01:00):
to Katie from red Rover because she definitely connected us,
and you guys go check out RedRover dot org. But
Katie connected me, and as soon as I heard about
the mission, I was like, Wow, that is outstanding and
definitely something needed. And I think a lot of people
miss the mark and they forget about that. So for you,
(01:22):
what was the pivotal moment that made you realize a separate,
dedicated service for animal victims was critical.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, there is a statistic, you know, I think I
know Katie. Thank you Katie by the way for the introduction.
But you know, I know Katie knows this that studies
have shown that up to fifty percent of victims of
domestic violence delay seeking safety for themselves out of concern
for their pets. And when I heard that, that was
really staggering to me. But I actually started working at
(01:55):
a HIMPSI house in two thousand and seven, and that was,
you know, only two years after a Hurricane Katrina had happened,
and during that I think that was a really eye
opening experience where the world saw firsthand the links people
would go to to not leave their pets behind and
the power of the human animal bond, especially in times
(02:17):
of crisis like that.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, I agree on that. Yeah. And of course, a
HEMSA house is rooted in the Sanskrit word for non
violence toward all living beings and I love that. So,
how does the foundational philosophy of universal non violence guy,
the day to day work and the decision making for
(02:41):
your team and volunteers.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah, The word Ahimsa was chosen by our founder, Emily Christie,
and of course the principle GUIDs are values and the
work we do daily. It's a parent and our staff
and volunteer interactions with the pets in our program. But
after many years of providing these services, we aim to
go even beyond the basic principle of non violence toward
(03:06):
all living beings. We now strive to also provide trauma
informed care to our human clients as well, elaborating on
the or do no harm piece of the principle, and
we try to make sure that we're meeting our clients
where they are and trying to minimize inflicting any further trauma,
which historically has been done by the services system inadvertently.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Gotcha, gotcha. For many victims, a pet is a source
of unconditional love and comfort in such a crazy and
just chaotic environment. Can you speak to the power of
the human animal bond in these situations?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Absolutely? Data and statistics tell us you know the story,
but that just doesn't really compare to hearing it. We
know that people won't leave without a common for their pets.
They die as a result. They live out of their
cars with their pets sometimes or they stay in these
abusive relationships. But in my experience, answering the crisis line
(04:14):
and hearing the stories of what our clients have endured
is incredibly powerful. Many times, the pets being abused as
well is the final straw for the survivor and the
reason they are leaving. I've had clients tell me like,
I can take the abuse, but I cannot live with,
you know, my pet being abused as well. I've had
(04:36):
clients to sob on the telephone and relief when they
realize that we can provide these accommodations for their pets,
and just then knowing that their pets are safe is
what they need to be able to escape and kind
of begin the really daunting task of trying to be
to rebuild their lives.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, now I can imagine, because I've never witnessed such
a situation, but the logistics of coordinating a pet's removal
from a dangerous home that has to be complex. I
can't even begin to think of how that may be.
But can you walk us through the process from the
moment that a victim makes that first contact with you
(05:17):
all and the end as far as like you know
you getting the pets safely in your care.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Sure, So yeah, it can be quite complex, and we
do a lot of safety planning on our crisis line.
That's the majority of the work that we do. And
of course circumstances are different and we have different situations.
Sometimes people call and they may talk to our advocates
on the crisis line for months before they're actually finally
(05:49):
ready to leave, and then sometimes they call us and
they end up escaping the same day. So it really
does vary between kind of between situations and what different
people are going through. But when someone is ready to leave,
we have paperwork that they fill out and again trying
(06:09):
to be trauma informed, this is something that we can
provide them via email. We actually have it online where
they can fill it out on their phone. You know,
we try to make it as easy as possible and
as accessible as possible. But they fill out this paperwork
and usually when we receive that paperwork back, we can
get them in the program the same day. If they
(06:31):
have transportation themselves, we set up an appointment at a
veterinary office for the pets to be dropped off where
they can be medically evaluated, and there they receive any
basic treatment they may require to be boarded or fostered,
and from there we line up a foster home or
boarding facility for the pet to stay and coordinate transportation
for the pets. If more extensive medical treatment is necessary
(06:55):
because of abuse, which does happen, sometimes they may stay
with that veterinarian until they can be safely moved to
a foster home. And then if somebody doesn't have transportation,
we actually arrange a pet friendly ride share ride for them.
So yeah, we have like a business account and can
arrange for a ride and have them be able to
(07:16):
drop their pets off at the VET and then that
can take them to the shelter or whatever accommodation they
have lined up for themselves, and sometimes that's a hotel.
We do provide emergency hotel stays as well that are
pet friendly.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
So yeah, that is incredible. I applaud you and the
team and everyone involved with the M'souse because that is
just outstanding to hear of just so much resource for people,
you know, because I'm sure that there are people out
there that are listening that have been or they know
someone who's been in a domestic situation and have unfortunately
(07:53):
had to leave the animal behind, or you know, something
terrible has happened. So wow, the fact that you all
are absolutely able to supply those resources for people like
you've taken the guesswork out of it, which is super helpful.
I actually love that. Now, while you all rescue and
(08:13):
shelter the animals, your ultimate goal is to empower people
to leave these dangerous situations. How does saving a pet
have a direct and tangible impact on the victim's ability
to heal and move forward.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Yeah, we care from our clients all the time how
much our services mean to them. We know that our
model of non co sheltering isn't the most popular. The
pets don't stay with their humans while they're in our program,
but most clients actually tell us that it is more
helpful for them to take this time that their pets
(08:51):
are in our care to turn their attention inward and
focus on themselves for a change. They report that having
the goal of reclaiming their it gave them something to
look forward to and something to work towards, and as
a result, our clients are actually less likely to return
to their abusers and typically find housing sooner. So yeah,
(09:11):
it's it's interesting to see that, and one of our
previous staff members actually did a study about it where
she did it was a it was a quantitative study
where she you know, interviewed survivors and program past program participants,
and it was just really interesting feedback to hear that
(09:33):
it was more helpful for them sometimes to be separated. Wow.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Yeah, Well, I think you know the fact that they
knew that their animal was going to be in safe
care and be you know, well taken care of them,
so that that took a whole bunch of stress off
of them. So I'd imagine, sure that's versus you know,
like playing the guessing game or whatever the case is.
So I think that definitely helped.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Or worrying and not knowing.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Yeah, you operate in a space that requires seamless collaboration
with domestic violence shelters, law enforcement, and other animal welfare groups.
What does that partnership look like on the ground and
why is that interconnected network so vital for your success?
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Absolutely? About half of our calls come from either a
representative of a domestic violent shelter or law enforcement or
other victim service provider, or it's a survivor that was
referred to us by one of them, and this kind
of speaks to the outreach that we do and have
done throughout Georgia. It wasn't always the case that providers
(10:42):
knew to refer to us, So it's wonderful to know
that they now know about our services and are able
to make those referrals rather than just to tell somebody
to call animal control, which is what used to happen frequently.
And then the other half of our calls are self
referrals and typically the first call the survivors making for help,
and in these situations, we're the referral agency. We're the
(11:04):
ones who are able to connect them with a domestic
violence agency or law enforcement or some other organization that
they may be able to receive assistance from. So these
referrals are crucial for making our communities safe. And in Georgia,
every jurisdiction is actually mandated to have a family violence
task force and these task forces are comprised of law enforcement,
(11:25):
domestic violence agencies, prosecutors, judges, victim witness advocates, and other
community stakeholders. And we sit on about fifteen of those
task forces throughout Metro Atlanta, and we try to present
to the ones in which were not members, like every
couple of years, just to make sure that they know
about the hints of House and the services we provide.
(11:46):
And these task forces have been vital to our communities
and providing a multidisciplinary approach to service provision because all
of these different agencies can get together usually once a
month and share these resources and network and get to
know each other, and then we know that we're providing
the best services possible to the survivors in our communities.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Yes, absolutely, that is incredible. Now, last, but certainly not least,
for someone listening who might suspect a loved one or
someone that they care about is in a difficult situation,
or they themselves is in such situation, what is the
(12:30):
most important message you want to share.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Yeah, I would definitely tell them that they're not alone.
There are resources and help available. Let your loved ones
know that you're there to help them find those resources
when they're ready to leave, and to let them kind
of leave on their own timeline. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah, absolutely. And for those listening that want to actually
support the mission, what is the most impactful way the
community can get involved beyond just a financial donation.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Absolutely, we have many volunteer opportunities. We have transport volunteers
who drive pet to and from appointments and do reunification transports,
which are everyone's favorite because those are that's when you
get to see the human animal bond up close and personal.
It's amazing. They're so beautiful to witness. We also have
(13:27):
crisis line volunteers that help answer our hotline during non
working hours. We have outreach volunteers that staff our booths
at community festivals and events. But the biggest direct impact
someone could make to volunteer is to volunteer as a
foster home. So for US, boarding is a large chunk
of our budget, and we recently had to implement a
(13:50):
program capacity for the first time in many years due
to rising costs and the inability for facilities to provide
discounted services at the levels that they could once provide
for US. So fostering pets for a couple of months
allows us to increase capacity and then more people in
Georgia can escape violence with their pets, so we're able
(14:10):
to help more people and more pets. The more fosters
we have.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yes and Maira for anyone that's listening that wants to
get some more information or wants to reach out to
you all, what's the best way.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Absolutely, Our website is www dot a hemsa house dot org.
That's a H I M S A h O U
S E. And you could also email us at info
at a hemsa house dot org or give us a call.
And the number for our adminline is four O four
(14:45):
four nine six four zero three eight and our twenty
four hour crisis line is for zero four four five
two six two four eight.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Sounds like the plan, Myra, Keep up the great work.
You guys are doing a ma amazing works and just
changing and helping people, helping lives and of course a
little furry friends. You know they're getting helpful along the
way as well. So I love it. I absolutely love
this and much more success mayra to you and the
(15:16):
entire team whenever there's an announcement. I definitely, as a
local Georgian, I would love nothing more than for you
to come back and share these announcements with us, so
definitely consider as a source. We're an ally.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Absolutely, thank you so much. I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
No problem, and I appreciate each and every one of
you guys. Thank you so much for your love and support,
keeping in mind. Anyone to tell you that you can't
do what you want to do, you look them square
in the face, you tell them. Don't believe me. Just
watch watch what I do. Watch me make it happen,
Watch me make history. That's what we're doing, this for
(15:55):
the history books. Social media is nice, but real life
is so much better. Until next time, you guys,
One of those what they do inside the world. It
is your girl, the one and only Ash Brown, and
this is the Ash said It show, over twenty one
hundred episodes since twenty fourteen, half a million streams around
the world. None of this is possible about you, guys,
So I thank you so so very much. Today I
(00:23):
have a wonderful guest that's doing amazing things and keeping
people safe, keeping people and their pets, keeping everybody good
and safe. I've got Mara from a hemsa house.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hey, Mara, Hi, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Thank you so much for coming through. So Mayra, let's
just start things off. A heymnsa house address is just
a powerful and often hidden barrier for domestic violence victims
and the threat of harm to their pets. You know,
that's something that until I heard it and shout out
(01:00):
to Katie from red Rover because she definitely connected us,
and you guys go check out RedRover dot org. But
Katie connected me, and as soon as I heard about
the mission, I was like, Wow, that is outstanding and
definitely something needed. And I think a lot of people
miss the mark and they forget about that. So for you,
(01:22):
what was the pivotal moment that made you realize a separate,
dedicated service for animal victims was critical.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, there is a statistic, you know, I think I
know Katie. Thank you Katie by the way for the introduction.
But you know, I know Katie knows this that studies
have shown that up to fifty percent of victims of
domestic violence delay seeking safety for themselves out of concern
for their pets. And when I heard that, that was
really staggering to me. But I actually started working at
(01:55):
a HIMPSI house in two thousand and seven, and that was,
you know, only two years after a Hurricane Katrina had happened,
and during that I think that was a really eye
opening experience where the world saw firsthand the links people
would go to to not leave their pets behind and
the power of the human animal bond, especially in times
(02:17):
of crisis like that.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, I agree on that. Yeah. And of course, a
HEMSA house is rooted in the Sanskrit word for non
violence toward all living beings and I love that. So,
how does the foundational philosophy of universal non violence guy,
the day to day work and the decision making for
(02:41):
your team and volunteers.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah, The word Ahimsa was chosen by our founder, Emily Christie,
and of course the principle GUIDs are values and the
work we do daily. It's a parent and our staff
and volunteer interactions with the pets in our program. But
after many years of providing these services, we aim to
go even beyond the basic principle of non violence toward
(03:06):
all living beings. We now strive to also provide trauma
informed care to our human clients as well, elaborating on
the or do no harm piece of the principle, and
we try to make sure that we're meeting our clients
where they are and trying to minimize inflicting any further trauma,
which historically has been done by the services system inadvertently.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Gotcha, gotcha. For many victims, a pet is a source
of unconditional love and comfort in such a crazy and
just chaotic environment. Can you speak to the power of
the human animal bond in these situations?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Absolutely? Data and statistics tell us you know the story,
but that just doesn't really compare to hearing it. We
know that people won't leave without a common for their pets.
They die as a result. They live out of their
cars with their pets sometimes or they stay in these
abusive relationships. But in my experience, answering the crisis line
(04:14):
and hearing the stories of what our clients have endured
is incredibly powerful. Many times, the pets being abused as
well is the final straw for the survivor and the
reason they are leaving. I've had clients tell me like,
I can take the abuse, but I cannot live with,
you know, my pet being abused as well. I've had
(04:36):
clients to sob on the telephone and relief when they
realize that we can provide these accommodations for their pets,
and just then knowing that their pets are safe is
what they need to be able to escape and kind
of begin the really daunting task of trying to be
to rebuild their lives.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, now I can imagine, because I've never witnessed such
a situation, but the logistics of coordinating a pet's removal
from a dangerous home that has to be complex. I
can't even begin to think of how that may be.
But can you walk us through the process from the
moment that a victim makes that first contact with you
(05:17):
all and the end as far as like you know
you getting the pets safely in your care.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Sure, So yeah, it can be quite complex, and we
do a lot of safety planning on our crisis line.
That's the majority of the work that we do. And
of course circumstances are different and we have different situations.
Sometimes people call and they may talk to our advocates
on the crisis line for months before they're actually finally
(05:49):
ready to leave, and then sometimes they call us and
they end up escaping the same day. So it really
does vary between kind of between situations and what different
people are going through. But when someone is ready to leave,
we have paperwork that they fill out and again trying
(06:09):
to be trauma informed, this is something that we can
provide them via email. We actually have it online where
they can fill it out on their phone. You know,
we try to make it as easy as possible and
as accessible as possible. But they fill out this paperwork
and usually when we receive that paperwork back, we can
get them in the program the same day. If they
(06:31):
have transportation themselves, we set up an appointment at a
veterinary office for the pets to be dropped off where
they can be medically evaluated, and there they receive any
basic treatment they may require to be boarded or fostered,
and from there we line up a foster home or
boarding facility for the pet to stay and coordinate transportation
for the pets. If more extensive medical treatment is necessary
(06:55):
because of abuse, which does happen, sometimes they may stay
with that veterinarian until they can be safely moved to
a foster home. And then if somebody doesn't have transportation,
we actually arrange a pet friendly ride share ride for them.
So yeah, we have like a business account and can
arrange for a ride and have them be able to
(07:16):
drop their pets off at the VET and then that
can take them to the shelter or whatever accommodation they
have lined up for themselves, and sometimes that's a hotel.
We do provide emergency hotel stays as well that are
pet friendly.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
So yeah, that is incredible. I applaud you and the
team and everyone involved with the M'souse because that is
just outstanding to hear of just so much resource for people,
you know, because I'm sure that there are people out
there that are listening that have been or they know
someone who's been in a domestic situation and have unfortunately
(07:53):
had to leave the animal behind, or you know, something
terrible has happened. So wow, the fact that you all
are absolutely able to supply those resources for people like
you've taken the guesswork out of it, which is super helpful.
I actually love that. Now, while you all rescue and
(08:13):
shelter the animals, your ultimate goal is to empower people
to leave these dangerous situations. How does saving a pet
have a direct and tangible impact on the victim's ability
to heal and move forward.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Yeah, we care from our clients all the time how
much our services mean to them. We know that our
model of non co sheltering isn't the most popular. The
pets don't stay with their humans while they're in our program,
but most clients actually tell us that it is more
helpful for them to take this time that their pets
(08:51):
are in our care to turn their attention inward and
focus on themselves for a change. They report that having
the goal of reclaiming their it gave them something to
look forward to and something to work towards, and as
a result, our clients are actually less likely to return
to their abusers and typically find housing sooner. So yeah,
(09:11):
it's it's interesting to see that, and one of our
previous staff members actually did a study about it where
she did it was a it was a quantitative study
where she you know, interviewed survivors and program past program participants,
and it was just really interesting feedback to hear that
(09:33):
it was more helpful for them sometimes to be separated. Wow.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Yeah, Well, I think you know the fact that they
knew that their animal was going to be in safe
care and be you know, well taken care of them,
so that that took a whole bunch of stress off
of them. So I'd imagine, sure that's versus you know,
like playing the guessing game or whatever the case is.
So I think that definitely helped.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Or worrying and not knowing.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Yeah, you operate in a space that requires seamless collaboration
with domestic violence shelters, law enforcement, and other animal welfare groups.
What does that partnership look like on the ground and
why is that interconnected network so vital for your success?
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Absolutely? About half of our calls come from either a
representative of a domestic violent shelter or law enforcement or
other victim service provider, or it's a survivor that was
referred to us by one of them, and this kind
of speaks to the outreach that we do and have
done throughout Georgia. It wasn't always the case that providers
(10:42):
knew to refer to us, So it's wonderful to know
that they now know about our services and are able
to make those referrals rather than just to tell somebody
to call animal control, which is what used to happen frequently.
And then the other half of our calls are self
referrals and typically the first call the survivors making for help,
and in these situations, we're the referral agency. We're the
(11:04):
ones who are able to connect them with a domestic
violence agency or law enforcement or some other organization that
they may be able to receive assistance from. So these
referrals are crucial for making our communities safe. And in Georgia,
every jurisdiction is actually mandated to have a family violence
task force and these task forces are comprised of law enforcement,
(11:25):
domestic violence agencies, prosecutors, judges, victim witness advocates, and other
community stakeholders. And we sit on about fifteen of those
task forces throughout Metro Atlanta, and we try to present
to the ones in which were not members, like every
couple of years, just to make sure that they know
about the hints of House and the services we provide.
(11:46):
And these task forces have been vital to our communities
and providing a multidisciplinary approach to service provision because all
of these different agencies can get together usually once a
month and share these resources and network and get to
know each other, and then we know that we're providing
the best services possible to the survivors in our communities.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Yes, absolutely, that is incredible. Now, last, but certainly not least,
for someone listening who might suspect a loved one or
someone that they care about is in a difficult situation,
or they themselves is in such situation, what is the
(12:30):
most important message you want to share.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Yeah, I would definitely tell them that they're not alone.
There are resources and help available. Let your loved ones
know that you're there to help them find those resources
when they're ready to leave, and to let them kind
of leave on their own timeline. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah, absolutely. And for those listening that want to actually
support the mission, what is the most impactful way the
community can get involved beyond just a financial donation.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Absolutely, we have many volunteer opportunities. We have transport volunteers
who drive pet to and from appointments and do reunification transports,
which are everyone's favorite because those are that's when you
get to see the human animal bond up close and personal.
It's amazing. They're so beautiful to witness. We also have
(13:27):
crisis line volunteers that help answer our hotline during non
working hours. We have outreach volunteers that staff our booths
at community festivals and events. But the biggest direct impact
someone could make to volunteer is to volunteer as a
foster home. So for US, boarding is a large chunk
of our budget, and we recently had to implement a
(13:50):
program capacity for the first time in many years due
to rising costs and the inability for facilities to provide
discounted services at the levels that they could once provide
for US. So fostering pets for a couple of months
allows us to increase capacity and then more people in
Georgia can escape violence with their pets, so we're able
(14:10):
to help more people and more pets. The more fosters
we have.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yes and Maira for anyone that's listening that wants to
get some more information or wants to reach out to
you all, what's the best way.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Absolutely, Our website is www dot a hemsa house dot org.
That's a H I M S A h O U
S E. And you could also email us at info
at a hemsa house dot org or give us a call.
And the number for our adminline is four O four
(14:45):
four nine six four zero three eight and our twenty
four hour crisis line is for zero four four five
two six two four eight.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Sounds like the plan, Myra, Keep up the great work.
You guys are doing a ma amazing works and just
changing and helping people, helping lives and of course a
little furry friends. You know they're getting helpful along the
way as well. So I love it. I absolutely love
this and much more success mayra to you and the
(15:16):
entire team whenever there's an announcement. I definitely, as a
local Georgian, I would love nothing more than for you
to come back and share these announcements with us, so
definitely consider as a source. We're an ally.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Absolutely, thank you so much. I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
No problem, and I appreciate each and every one of
you guys. Thank you so much for your love and support,
keeping in mind. Anyone to tell you that you can't
do what you want to do, you look them square
in the face, you tell them. Don't believe me. Just
watch watch what I do. Watch me make it happen,
Watch me make history. That's what we're doing, this for
(15:55):
the history books. Social media is nice, but real life
is so much better. Until next time, you guys,
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