This Thanksgiving, Denise enjoyed a hearty meal and fellowship with her family and her beloved chihuahua, Dog. A far cry from last year, when she was feeling alone, stressed, and anxious about where she and Dog would stay.
Denise, whose last name has been withheld for her protection, says she was the victim of domestic violence, which forced her to escape her marital home in August 2024. Finding stray bullets around her home (subtle warning signs of further violence) was the last straw before leaving her ex-husband, she told Rough Draft Atlanta.
Ahimsa House, a Tucker-based shelter for battered women and their pets, stepped in to help.
“I was so close to my rock bottom when I found Ahimsa House, and if I had to get rid of my dog on top of losing everything else, I don’t know if I could have handled it, “Denise said. “That one hand up they gave me was one of the pivotal turning points of me picking myself back up when I felt so knocked down.”
Ahimsa House, founded in 2004, is the first and only nonprofit organization in Georgia that has helped more than 4,000 pets and their owners escape violence – that’s roughly 218,000 nights of safe shelter for the pets. The shelter’s name is a Sanskrit phrase meaning, and Buddhist principle, meaning non-violence toward living things. Despite Ahimsa House experiencing an increase in service requests this year, the organization received the news in October that government funding for its mission would be cut by 53 percent. The cuts will affect programming, Shannon Oxford, associate director of Ahimsa House, shared in a recent interview.
“The funding covers staff salaries, and without staff, we can’t serve clients escaping domestic violence. Fewer staff means lower capacity and fewer survivors and pets served,” Oxford said.
There are few shelters across the country that support domestic violence victims, with only one in five domestic shelters supporting survivors and their pets, said Myra Rasnick, executive director of Ahimsa House. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 40 percent of domestic violence victims remain with their abusers out of concern for accommodations for their pets.
Denise feared she would suffer that fate. She attempted to obtain a protection order against her ex-husband, but it was not granted to a judge deciding there “wasn’t sufficient evidence to legally grant it.” The dog mom and middle school teacher briefly resorted to leaving her pet in her former home while she lived in a car. She would check on Dog when her ex-husband was at work.
As temperatures dropped and the house’s heat went out, Denise worried constantly about her little dog. With reports warning of a pending snowstorm, Denise finally accepted she would have to rehome Dog.
“She didn’t have food, she didn’t have water, and he wasn’t letting her out,” Denise said. “I cried like I’ve never cried before.”
The day before Denise planned to surrender her dog to a shelter, her friend sent her a message telling her to call Ahimsa House. Within months, she was able to find a place. Ahimsa took care of Dog while she secured a place.
Ahimsa House is able to help individuals like Denise not only through funding but a host of volunteers and Tucker businesses. Tucker’s Furbusters Pet Salon has helped keep pets at Ahisma House groomed during their visits, for instance, Oxford said.
“We have been welcomed into the Tucker community with open arms. Anytime we put an ask out into the community, they deliver,” Oxford said. “We love being in Tucker.”
They’re asking for support of businesses and individuals in Tucker as they seek to continue helping domestic violence victims. The organization has the goal of raising $100,000 for programmatic support on Giving Tuesday. They also need help with foster volunteers and items for victims.
Denise has been one of the many folks who support Ahimsa House. She recently spoke at its annual fundraising event.
“Denise’s voice is incredibly important, not only because it sheds light on the realities of domestic violence, but because it helps others understand the impact of our work in ways we often cannot do ourselves,” Oxford said. “Her courage allows the public to see what so many survivors face behind closed doors, and it helps create the awareness needed to drive change.”
Denise remains grateful for her and Dog’s second chance.
“I’m literally having to rebuild from zero, but after everything, it’s so dang easy to be grateful,” Denise said. “I’m building a life I really love.”
Ways to help Ahimsa House:
•Donate to Ahimsa House to help them reach a $100k Giving Tuesday goal.
• Sign up to become a foster volunteer.
• Purchase an item from the Ahimsa House’s Amazon Wishlist.
• Connect with Ahimsa House on Facebook and Instagram
The post Tucker shelter supports domestic violence victims and their furry friends appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.
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