City of Rochester
News Release
(Wednesday, May 5, 2021) – The City’s Rochester Animal Services Bureau has implemented a Pet Safety Net Program to offer temporary boarding for pets of people facing housing insecurity, hospitalization, domestic violence or other crises.
With the support of a volunteer foster team, pets can be placed in homes to provide safe and secure housing as an alternative for their owners to surrendering their beloved companions to a shelter. The program seeks to reunite pets and owners within 30 days.
Rochester Animal Services has been expanding its pet support services throughout the pandemic. As part of the organization’s preparation for the growing eviction crisis, Rochester Animal Services joined a national study being conducted by researchers at Virginia Tech and Arizona State University to explore the effectiveness of safety net programs in reducing numbers of animals surrendered by owners.
The New York State moratorium on evictions has been extended to Aug. 31.
For more information about the Pet Safety Net Program or to submit an interest form, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/PetSafetyNet.
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