Meet Katie* and her dog Benny*. Katie was in an abusive relationship and wanted assistance but she did not want to leave her dog behind. When she learned that Benny could be temporarily boarded with Chesapeake Humane, she was relieved that she could receive the help she needed and not have to leave her dog behind. Benny was in our program for 76 days. When Katie picked Benny up, she was not in permanent housing yet but had a friend she and Benny could stay with. We recently spoke with Katie and are now providing her with pet food and supplies as a part of our Pet Pantry program. Katie is doing well and is working. She also just found out that she can move into a home! She has recently added a cat to the household, so Benny now has a cat sister.
Meet Amigo and Steve. Steve is a truck driver and he always takes Amigo with him. Steve’s truck broke down and needed repairs. Steve was living in transitional veterans housing while he was getting his truck fixed, but Amigo could not be there with him. Traditional pet boarding is expensive and Steve was left with nowhere for Amigo to stay but did not want to lose his best buddy. That is when he reached out to CHS to temporarily board Amigo. Amigo came to us and stayed for six days and Steve came and got him as soon as he was staying in a place where Amigo could be with him. Steve could not imagine not having Amigo on the road with him and Amigo was so excited to be reunited with his dad!
This is Tamara. Tamara is a pet pantry client who drove her electric wheelchair over 4 miles in the July heat to get food for her dog. However, the next month a wonderful volunteer took her food to her home because we didn’t want her making that trip again but wanted to ensure that Tamara had the food she needed for her dog. We understand Tamara; she is willing to do whatever necessary to feed her beloved pet. At Chesapeake Humnane, we are fortunate that we are able to assist Tamara in any way she needs so she can keep her pet in her home. Many times, people in this situation feel like there is no other option but to get rid of their pet even when they love them. Our Crisis Boarding program gives people the option to keep their pets in their home and receive assistance so they do not have to choose between feeding themselves or their pet.
In early 2022, a local medical center reached out to CHS about Sandra and her cat, Bobbi. Sandra was going to be temporarily hospitalized and was worried about what would happen to Bobbi. Sandra did not have anyone who was able to watch Bobbi and did not want to have to relinquish her to a shelter. CHS stepped in and was able to board and care for Bobbi while Sandra was receiving medical care. After a few weeks in our care, Sandra and Bobbi were reunited! Because of our Crisis Boarding program, Sandra was able to keep her family together.
Phoenix entered our Crisis Boarding program when her mom, Sandra, was experiencing a housing crisis. Sandra had been boarding Phoenix at PetSuites however, the boarding fees became unaffordable which is when she reached out to us about our Crisis Boarding program. Phoenix was in our care for 67 days. After about 45 days, Sandra was still unable to secure housing for her and Phoenix and decided that the best option for Phoenix was to allow her to be available for adoption. After a few weeks, Sandra found housing that would allow her and Phoenix and was wondering if Phoenix was still at the shelter. When we told her Phoenix was still here, both Sandra and the team at CHS were elated to reunite this family!
Chris recently moved to Hampton Roads with Stella and was having difficulty finding housing for him and his dog. He was temporarily living in a hotel. Hotel life was not suitable for Stella and the pet hotel fees were too expensive. Chris did not want to surrender Stella to a shelter but needed time to find housing for him and his pet which is when he reached out to the Chesapeake Humane about our Crisis Boarding program. We were able to temporarily board Stella while Chris found a place to live. While Stella was with us, we provided her with medical care and enrichment, making sure she was happy and comfortable during this stressful time. After three weeks, Chris found housing and he and Stella were reunited.