Task Force Aiding Pets Whose Owners Face Financial Hardships

PHOENIX, AZ —Seven leading animal welfare organizations in Arizona have come together to aid pet owners facing circumstances that prevent them from keeping their pets.

The Pet Housing Help AZ task force has created a centralized website designed to offer resources for these pet owners, including foster homes and temporary homes for their pets. The organization also is looking for pet lovers who are willing to help.

Representatives for the website said it was created in response to skyrocketing rents and high eviction rates.

According to Apartmentlist.com, rent in Phoenix has climbed 28 percent in the last year.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that in January more than 5,000 eviction filings were recorded in Maricopa County, the highest number since Feb. of 2020. The eviction numbers have been increasing since August, when the eviction moratorium by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expired.

Higher rents and an increased number of residents in the market for new rental housing can often lead to tough decisions for pet owners.

"For some, (the need to pay higher rent) may mean having to make the difficult decision of choosing between keeping their pet or having a place to stay," said Lindsay La Pre, the pet resource manager for the Arizona Humane Society.

This is where the Pet Housing Help AZ task force is stepping in to offer solutions. The task force's efforts include:

• Expanding temporary foster programs for pet owners.
• Increasing surrender prevention and intervention efforts.
• Increasing collaboration with human and health service agencies and animal shelters.
• Increasing education and awareness around the benefits of pet-friendly housing for landlords.
• Creating the website, PetHousingHelpAZ.com, with resources and easy-to-use tools to help pet owners.

"Pets are family, and Pet Housing Help AZ is committed to helping both our four-legged and two-legged friends who have been impacted by COVID-19," the task force said in a statement. "The top animal welfare organizations in the Valley have teamed up to provide information, resources and a community rehoming/temporary foster network for struggling pet owners impacted by the COVID-19 housing crisis. If you're a pet owner in need or a pet lover who wants to assist those in need, we have solutions for you."

The leading animal welfare organizations in Arizona that have come together to form the Pet Housing Help AZ task force are:

• Altered Tails Barnhart Clinic
• Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA
• Arizona Humane Society
• The Arizona Pet Project
• Heidi's Village
• Lost Our Home Pet Rescue
• Maricopa County Animal Care and Control