Two local animal welfare organizations, the Arizona Animal Welfare League and the Arizona Pet Project, announced a new partnership to ensure pet families stay together.

The organizations jointly hired a social worker to field calls from pet owners in response to an influx in pet surrenders caused by a lack of affordable housing options and economic hardship facing the Phoenix community.

“Our hope is that with additional support from a trained social worker, we will be able to provide Valley residents with both temporary and long-term solutions to keep their beloved pets in their care and out of the shelter system altogether,” Leanna Taylor, AZ Pet Project CEO, shared in a press release.

In 2015, AZ Pet Project launched one of the country’s first shelter diversion programs at Maricopa County Animal Care & Control. Since the program’s inception, AZ Pet Project’s program has served more than 30,000 families in crisis.

The program now includes five social workers who support animal welfare and human service agencies across Arizona.

Arizona Animal Welfare League will be the third shelter AZ Pet Project has partnered with as part of its long-term goal to expand shelter diversion programs statewide. The collaborative efforts are made possible by a $1.5 million grant from Gov. Doug Ducey intended to provide Arizonans experiencing housing insecurity with temporary boarding, housing assistance, urgent veterinary care, case management and resources.

“Every day, pet owners come to us heartbroken because they have to surrender their pet due to an eviction, loss of a job, or the expenses of veterinary care, Alessandra Navidad, AAWL president and CEO, stated. “Historically, AAWL has focused on creating kennel space to accommodate an increasing number of surrender requests We now aim to provide resources and assistance to help pet owners overcome these barriers so animals can stay at home, where they’ll be healthier and happier.”

A caseworker will be working at the AAWL shelter three days per week reviewing applications for animal surrender and reaching out to pet owners surrendering animals due to economic hardship, providing them with guidance on how to access safe housing, medical and mental health treatment, rent and utility assistance, food banks, and more.

The Arizona Animal Welfare League is located at 25 N. 40th St., in Phoenix.

The Arizona Pet Project is located at 3905 N. 7th Ave., Suite 7611, in Phoenix.