Our Impact
CURRENT INITIATIVES - 2024
We are actively raising funds to support the following:
1) MILITARY MEMBERS AND THEIR PETS
ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY AND VETERANS: Our military men and women rely on the love and unwavering emotional support of their pets. Upon receiving orders to deploy, however, many are forced to surrender their animals to shelters and rescue groups due to lack of another care option in their absence. Likewise, veterans who own and love their pets are surrendering them far too often because they cannot afford the animals’ care.
In 2024, The Human-Animal Alliance is raising funds to keep military members and their pets united. Our grants will support the best programs in the country that provide foster homes for pets of active-duty military members, and financial support to the pets of military veterans. The bond that these heroes share with their beloved animals before, during, and after deployment is unique, powerful, and even lifesaving. It is imperative that our military members have peace of mind that their pets will remain safe and well-cared for during deployments, and that they will be reunited with their best friend upon returning home.
To keep MILITARY MEMBERS and their pets united, CLICK HERE.
2) SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN through animal-assisted Learning
CHILDREN: Animal-assisted learning is an effective modality to build confidence in children who experience academic challenges, lack certain life skills, and/or are navigating developmental delays. Too often, children either lack parental supervision and involvement, or have parents who do everything for them. In both scenarios, children are missing the ability to develop socially, mentally, and academically. The increased confidence that is gained through animal-assisted learning in classroom settings helps children break through both academic and emotional barriers they faced previously.
In 2024, The Human-Animal Alliance is raising funds to help children through animal-assisted learning in the classroom. We are partnering with some of the best programs nationwide that use animals in an academic setting to help children with not only academic enrichment, but also in developing life skills such as independence, resilience, empathy, problem-solving, and finding alternatives to learned helplessness.
To help CHILDREN through animal-assisted learning, CLICK HERE.
(September 2023)
$25,000 toward providing first responders with access to service/crisis response dogs
THE ISSUE: First responders encounter traumatic and stressful situations on a daily basis as a routine part of their job. The “Defund the Police” movement and mixed public support in recent years has unfortunately placed yet another layer of strain on these heroes. Statistics consistently show that first responders are 5x more likely to suffer from PTSD and depression than the general population which, alarmingly, also leads to much higher rates of suicide - more first responders die of suicide than in the line of duty every year.
OUR IMPACT: At The Human-Animal Alliance, we believe that our police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency personnel are heroes who deserve access to resources that can help them cope with the challenges they constantly face. Canine-assisted intervention (CAI) is a tool that supports resiliency, lowers levels of emotional distress, and decreases levels of anxiety, fear, loneliness, and depression during and after particularly stressful events. H-AA is sponsoring a facility dog assigned to a fire department in North Carolina. This service dog will perform crisis response tasks and help first responders and civilians during emergency situations. He will positively impact thousands of people throughout his career, providing comfort and promoting resilience to those struggling in the wake of traumatic events.
August 2023
$30,000 toward healing survivors of human trafficking through animal-assisted therapy
THE ISSUE: Human trafficking has become a widespread crisis in our world today. Sex trafficking is now more lucrative than drug trafficking - a $99B industry and increasing. An estimated 40.3 million people worldwide are victims and survivors, 25% of which are underage children. Survivors of trafficking suffer from an array of serious mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-harm, and suicidal ideations and attempts. The majority of survivors do not have access to the mental health support and services needed to process and work through their complex trauma.
OUR IMPACT: The Human-Animal Alliance is providing both female and male survivors of human trafficking with free access to the very best animal-assisted therapy (AAT) programs in the nation. Through their participation, survivors receive top-notch psychiatric and emotional support, resulting in reduced feelings of fear and anxiety, improved self-esteem, greatly improved and healthy social relationships, and a newfound sense of resilience and empowerment. 89% of clients report a significant reduction in symptoms after completing these AAT programs, a remarkable statistic especially because the majority failed to make progress in (or refused) conventional therapy prior to receiving help from us and our AAT partners.
May 2023
$29,000 toward healing children and young women from trauma through animal-assisted therapy
THE ISSUE: Recent studies have shown that teen and pre-teen girls are experiencing record-high levels of violence, sadness, and suicide risk. They are also struggling with general mental health challenges and feelings of disconnectedness at a higher rate than their male counterparts. The results of a CDC study showed that nearly 60% of female students experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness (up 36% from 2011). The same report showed that 18% of high school females have experienced sexual violence, 24% of female students made a suicide plan in 2021, and 10% actually attempted suicide.
OUR IMPACT: The Human-Animal Alliance provided access to animal-assisted therapy (AAT) services - predominantly equine therapy - at no cost to young women and children battling severe anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, grieving significant loss (e.g., the death of a close family member), and grappling with other trauma. One of our gifts also fully sponsored a miniature horse (the oldest, most experience member of the herd!) at a Florida-based equine therapy program. Our grants covered over 1,000 AAT sessions and touched the lives of hundreds of kids in need.
December 2022
$10,000 toward protecting pets from abuse and keeping domestic violence victims with their animals – in safety
THE ISSUE: In the United States, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner. On a typical day, there are 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines across the country. There is also a well-established link between domestic abuse and animal abuse, with over 70% of female domestic violence survivors with pets reporting that their abusers threatened, harmed, or killed their animal. The lack of animal-friendly domestic violence shelters often keeps victims in abusive situations longer, as 50% of domestic violence victims stay in abusive situations because they won’t leave their pet behind. Being a female-run organization, this is an issue that hits home for us on the deepest of levels. No human or animal should suffer abuse, ever. And victims NEED their pets – their primary source of comfort and love during (and after) the horrific times they have experienced.
OUR IMPACT: The Human-Animal Alliance provided emergency foster care to animals in cases of domestic violence in Florida. This ensured that pets stayed safe until their human owners could get to a safe situation themselves, at which time both were reunited and able to start their new chapter together.
November – December 2022
$25,000 toward keeping animals with their families during the economic recession
THE ISSUE: Many Americans are struggling financially as our country battles the current economic recession. Unfortunately, when times are tough, everyone feels it – including animals. Due to financial strain, housing issues, health complications, and more, owners are being forced to surrender or rehome their pets at alarmingly high rates. Loving owners should never be forced to give up their animals simply because they are facing extenuating circumstances. Keeping animals in their homes is always preferable (for the animal and the owner) over surrender, euthanasia, or homelessness.
OUR IMPACT: The Human-Animal Alliance provided emergency medical bill coverage, pet food, pet housing deposit funds, and other assistance to owners in dire need. In doing so, we kept pets and their people united, prevented additional strain on shelters, and eliminated suffering for hundreds of humans and animals.
OCTOBER 2022
$15,000 toward pet and owner reunifications in the wake of Hurricane Ian
THE ISSUE: 83% of pet owners live in areas that face natural disasters, and of those owners forced to evacuate, 47% are forced to leave at least 1 pet behind. During hurricane season in 2022, Hurricane Ian devastated western Florida, destroying homes and displacing people and animals. Countless animals were separated from their owners, and/or suffered serious injuries as a result of the storm.
OUR IMPACT: The Human-Animal Alliance partnered with disaster relief organizations on the ground in Florida, reuniting displaced pets with their owners and providing medical bill coverage for animals sustaining storm-related injuries in cases where owners could not afford emergency care.
