Colorado Springs Rescue Mission opens up new animal shelter inside their location
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- Starting Monday, August 21, the Colorado Springs Rescue Mission (SRM) will be able to welcome more community members into their location.
Springs Rescue Mission opened up a new animal shelter within their facility to encourage more homeless individuals to go in with their furry friends and get the help that they need.
According to a recent study by the advocacy group Pets of the Homeless, around 10 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have pets. Despite that fact, kennel facilities like Springs Rescue Mission are rare in the nation.
"We are one of the few rescue missions across the nation that have a space for homeless individuals pets and that's something philosophically we have been doing for the last few years now," said Travis Williams, Chief Development Officer at the Springs Rescue Mission.
The new animal shelter inside the mission will now be able to house 46 pets at once.
The goal of the Springs Rescue Mission is to encourage more people to seek help and stay at shelters like the Springs Rescue Mission, rather than continue living their lives on the streets.
"It can really mean life or death, there are many cases where folks will not seek the services they need because there is not a place for their pet," added Williams.
People will be able to go into SRM, sign in, and check in with their animal. Once they are admitted, they can take their animal to the shelter.
Residents, however, will be asked to check in on their animals, as well as give them water, food, and bathroom breaks.
Pet sheltering at SRM began with the opening of its winter shelter in 2014. The organization has since grown to include a 450-bed year-round shelter for men and women, and has sheltered accompanying pets in a small space in the Welcome Center since 2021.
"Individuals now confidently know that there is a great location for their pets and then also so they can get out of the element and seek the help they ultimately need to take those next steps forward," said Williams.
During summer months SRM typically houses about 20 to 30 animals per night at their location.
