Noah’s Animal House Keeps Pets and Families Of Violence Together

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
Noah’s Animal House has broken ground for Nevada’s first full-service pet boarding facility designed exclusively for domestic violence victims.


A new option for victims of domestic violence who feel option-less when it comes to their pets just broke ground on the Committee to Aid Abused Women’s (CAAW) Transitional Housing campus in Reno, Nevada. Joined by dignitaries, donors to the facility, and many four-legged friends of the project, Noah’s Animal House (NAH) began its first step in helping serve victims of domestic violence by staying together with their pets.


Related: Bayer Donation Helps Domestic Violence Victims and Pets Stay Together


United States Senator Dean Heller joined Reno, NV, Mayor Hillary Schieve in digging up the ground for the facility which will help keep entire families (fur members included) together as they embark on the hard transition from abusive situations to better lives.


The building will be 1300 square feet and is scheduled to be opened by the end of this year. It will accommodate 36 animals and will pamper these often underlooked victims of domestic violence with amenities including: boarding and exam rooms, indoor/outdoor dog runs and kennels, a “Feline Sun Room” for cats, a dog spa area and supplies for pets and their families who are displaced because of the abuse they’ve suffered and escaped from.


Noah’s Animal House was the first-ever stand alone pet boarding house designed for the families (and pets) of domestic violence victims in Southern Nevada, when it partnered with The Shade Tree, which is a shelter for women and children in crisis. NAH has allowed more than 1200 pets to stay safe and together with their families, as families were on the difficult and often dangerous journeys of leaving dangerous domestic violence situations. All too often, abusers threaten family pets, or they are abused as well, and victims will not leave these horrific situations because they fear for their pets.

NAH allows victims to seek their safety while also allowing their pets to be cared for free of charge on site. For many women, removing the barrier of worrying about their pet allows a faster, more easy transition to safer lives, and allows families to stay together through the process.


NAH founder Stacy Alonso said she recognizes the great need for pets to be near as part of a healing process, and is very excited to be able to partner with the CAAW so that Noah’s Animal House services can spread across Northern and Southern Nevada.


Related: More States Mandating Animal Abusers to Register as Offenders


Donors for the NAH Reno include Bayer Animal Health, NV Energy, Western Nevada Supply, the Bennett Family Foundation, Dolan Auto Group, the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, the E.L. Wiegand Foundation, as well as Staci and Mike Alonso and David and Cheryl Duffield. Other donors who have donated or reduced their costs to bring this needed service to life include Grand Canyon Development Partners, Frank Lepori Construction and Victory Millwork.


Senator Heller recently co-introduced the Pet and Women Safety Act (PAWS) with U.S. Senator Gary Peters, an act that will protect victims of domestic abuse and their pet family members. Senator Heller says he is proud that Nevada is leading the efforts in domestic violence legislation, and that Noah’s Animal House is an innovative and necessary part of housing facilities for women who suffer from domestic abuse. Mayor Schieve said that she believes the partnership between Noah’s Animal House and the Committee to Aid Abused Women will be tremendous in the community.


Noah’s Animal House does the work it does using donations, and you can find out how to do so, or more about Noah’s Animal House on their website.

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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