Dogs Trust has recently announced that they will be introducing their dog fostering service to counties in East Anglia, including Norfolk and Suffolk. We first heard about this excellent project at our 2019 Annual Conference and are delighted that it is being introduced to our region.
Here is more information about the Freedom Project and how supporters can get involved!
What is the Freedom Project?
Run by Dogs Trust, the Freedom Project is a dog fostering scheme supporting those experiencing domestic abuse by providing a safe home for dogs whilst their owner is at refuge.
The project has been running in other parts of the country since 2004, and has helped to foster over 1600 pets and helped over 1400 people to flee domestic abuse.
Why is it important?
There are many barriers that will prevent someone from leaving an abusive relationship, such as fears about upsetting children, family ties to local area, and financial uncertainty.
Another common barrier to leaving can be the fear of what will happen to pets. Many people experiencing domestic abuse don’t want to leave their pets behind when going to refuge, but most refuges are unable to take pets.
Schemes like the Freedom Project remove these barriers and enable people – and their pets – to safely flee domestic abuse. Without projects like this, many people will stay in abusive relationships, putting themselves at risk of further serious harm.
Supporting the project
Dogs Trust is currently looking for volunteers to assist in the running of the project by becoming foster carers. All the dogs’ expenses are covered by Dogs Trust, so this is a particularly rewarding volunteering opportunity for dog lovers who are not able to own a dog on a permanent basis.
For more information on the project and how to get involved, visit the Dogs Trust website.
