TEST Emergency Boarding
Sometimes life falls apart faster than you can plan for — an unexpected hospital stay, housing that disappears without a back-up plan, a home that isn't safe anymore. During a crisis, finding short-term care for your pet can seem like a daunting task, but we're here to help with solutions that end in reunion, not surrender.
Reaching out to friends, family, and neighbors is usually the best solution for temporary care — both for the pet and its family. Safe Haven exists so families who don't have anywhere else to turn can find the support they need. We provide temporary foster or shelter care for pets of families in Clark and Cowlitz counties who are going through something hard and just need a little time.
Learn more about the program and its qualifications below.
Who Safe Haven is For
This program is built around a few specific situations:
A hospital stay with a known end date.
Losing your housing, when you have a realistic plan to reclaim your pet within 30 days.
In-patient treatment. Safe Haven can help, but if you're seeking care for substance use or a related treatment, SPCA International's Pawsitive Recovery program is built specifically around this and may be able to offer a longer runway than we can.
Leaving a domestic violence situation. We're glad to talk with you, and we also want you to know about RedRover's Domestic Violence & Pets program, which specializes in helping survivors and pets get to safety together.
If you're not sure if Safe Haven is right for you, please reach out. We'd rather help you figure out the right fit than have you rule yourself out.
Do I Qualify?
To request Safe Haven, here's what has to be true:
Where you live: You and your pet live in Clark or Cowlitz County.
Your circumstances: You're facing financial hardship and can't cover private boarding or pet-sitting right now.
Other options: You've already reached out to your own network — family, friends, coworkers, neighbors — before coming to us.
You expect that you can reunite with your pet within 30 days.: You expect that you can reunite with your pet within 30 days.
Early release: You (or someone you designate) can pick your pet up at any point if needed — including sooner than 30 days, if your pet is having a hard time in our care.
You don't have a prior negative history with HSSW.
You've had your pet for at least a year. If space is tight, we may prioritize pets who've been with their family the longest.
If you meet those requirements, we may be able to help. Please reach out to our staff.
Beyond the basics, a few things factor into whether we can take your pet in, but none of these are an automatic no. We look at what we have room and resources for at the time you reach out.
Age: Pets need to be at least a year old.
Number of pets: We can support up to two pets per family. Each one is still considered individually based on what we have capacity for. If you are seeking placement for more than two pets, we may not be able to help.
Keeping in touch: You (or someone you designate) can check in with our program staff by phone or email, weekly or every other week.
Alternative placement: You (or someone you designate) can pick your pet up at any point if needed — including sooner than 30 days, if your pet is having a hard time in our care.
Type of pet: Right now, Safe Haven is set up for dogs and cats, and space depends on what's available when you apply.
Safe Haven offers temporary care in a shelter environment or foster home, and we're not equipped to safely support every animal in that setting. We want every pet in our care to be safe, and every foster or staff member handling them to be safe too.
If any of the following apply to your pet, they may not qualify for Safe Haven placement:
Bite history: They've bitten a person or another animal seriously enough to need medical attention, or if they have a history of seriously injuring or killing another animal.
Medical needs: If your pet is currently on a prescribed controlled substance (things like buprenorphine, tramadol, or fentanyl, among others), we likely won't be able to enroll them.
Severe anxiety: They show severe distress when left alone — things like destroying doors or windows, chronic escape attempts, or hurting themselves. If we can't safely house them, we can't give them what they need.
Extreme fear and distress: They show severe fear around people, animals, or new environments — panicked attempts to flee or hide, shutting down completely, or biting or attempting to bite.
If your pet is accepted for Safe Haven placement, consider the following:
Spay/neuter: If your pet isn't already spayed or neutered, we'll need your consent to do that while they're in our care.
Vaccines: We'll bring vaccinations up to date at intake, including core vaccines, plus flea prevention, deworming, and a microchip if they don't already have one.
Medical needs: If your pet has advanced medical needs, our clinic team will review the case individually before we can say yes.
Requesting Safe Haven for your Pet
Space is limited, and we can't promise a spot to every family who applies. If your pet meets the conditions outlined above, please submit a request.
Safe Haven Request - Dogs Safe Haven Request - Cats
If you have questions or need additional support, please contact our team at the information below.
Vancouver and Longview Campuses
[email protected]
More Programs in our Community
Additional boarding services are available in our community. Get the details via our Emergency Boarding and Temporary Foster fact sheet or by clicking below.
Dogs on Deployment
Dogs on Deployment is a national non-profit which provides an online network for service members to search for volunteers who are willing to board their pets during their owner’s service commitments. This resource is also available to veterans with an honorable discharge who are receiving medical treatment for a condition directly related to military service through the Veterans Affairs Department or other reputable veteran assistance organization.
dogsondeployment.org
619.800.3631
Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pet
Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet Foster Home program has a two-fold purpose, assisting with deployed active-duty service members as well as honorably discharged veterans facing a significant inpatient medical situation, and/or is homeless receiving a “hand-up” from a VA or VA-approved Homeless Veteran Transition program.
gafsp.org
254.248.1818
Council for the Homeless Housing Hotline
If you are struggling to remain in your home or if you are sleeping in your car or outside, call the Council for the Homeless Housing Hotline to learn about available shelter and housing assistance in Clark County.
councilforthehomeless.org
360.695.9677
Pet Peace of Mind
Hospice care can be a difficult transition for families and individuals. As pet lovers, we know firsthand the comfort that can come from having a loved family pet at your side. Pet Peace of Mind can often help to maintain that connection with a pet when a pet owner enters hospice care.
YWCA Clark County SafeChoice
The SafeChoice Program advocates for, educates, and supports those affected by domestic violence. n addition to operating the only domestic violence shelter serving Clark County, SafeChoice offers a wide array of services to respond to the immediate needs of victim-survivors in our community.
ywcaclarkcounty.org
Local: 360.695.0501
Toll-free: 800.695.0167
