Pet friendly space for SHINE Refuge Centre

Date:  February 2020

Helping Hand:  Mitre 10 national Helping Hands Programme

Project:  Pet friendly space for SHINE Refuge Centre

A SHINE Refuge Centre received a helping hand from Mitre 10 to convert a run-down shed into a warm and comfortable pet shelter with dog kennels, so that women escaping domestic violence can bring their pets with them. Afterall, pets are part of the family, right?

Only one other refuge in New Zealand accepts animals, and for people fleeing violence in their homes, having to leave their loved family dogs behind is a significant barrier. So, the team at SHINE, a national domestic abuse charity, reached out for help to build a safe space for pets.

“Our clients say that their pets are an important part of the family, as well as their emotional support and many will stay in an unsafe situation because they cannot leave their pets behind. This project means that they don’t have to,” said SHINE’s Acting General Manager Sally Ward.

The job turned out to be bigger than first expected, but Mitre 10 building consultant Stan Scott made a plan and got the job done right. Check out the video for the full story.