Leaving an unsafe home can be harder when you’re worried your pet may be harmed or you have nowhere safe for them to stay.
If you need to go into hospital for mental health or addiction treatment, you may face a similar worry when your pet cannot come with you and no one you trust is available to care for them.
Pets in Transition offers confidential, temporary foster care at no cost for eligible pets in these situations. GHS works with Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis and CMHA Waterloo Wellington to keep pets safe while their people seek support, with the goal of bringing them back together.
Can this program help me?
Foster care through Pets in Transition is available to:
- Women who are staying at or preparing to enter Marianne’s Place through Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis
- CMHA Waterloo Wellington clients who are hospitalized for mental health or addiction treatment
Anyone experiencing violence or mental health challenges, or supporting someone who is, can ask about pet safety planning and other resources. You do not need to be ready to leave an unsafe situation to ask for information.
Need support?
If you are experiencing violence, call the Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis 24-hour crisis line at 519-836-5710 or 1-800-265-7233. Let them know you have a pet and would like to talk about their safety and care.
If you need mental health or addiction support, call Here 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247. The TTY number is 1-877-688-5501. Let them know your pet may need temporary care while you receive treatment.
If you already have a worker at Marianne’s Place or CMHA Waterloo Wellington, you can ask them about Pets in Transition directly.
What we provide
When a foster placement is arranged, GHS matches your pet with a caregiver who has received specialized training to support animals who may have experienced or witnessed violence. We provide food, everyday supplies, and veterinary care when needed.
Your pet does not need to be up to date on vaccinations to enter the program. GHS will arrange a veterinary examination and necessary preventative care, including vaccinations.
Foster care can be provided for up to 12 weeks.
How it works
- Talk with staff at Marianne’s Place or CMHA. They will discuss your pet’s needs with you and help complete the intake forms.
- Your worker contacts GHS. They share the information we need to find an appropriate foster caregiver and arrange care for your pet.
- Your pet stays in foster care. GHS provides supplies and support during their stay. Your worker can share updates about your pet with you.
- We arrange your pet’s return. When you leave the program, your worker contacts GHS. We coordinate with the foster caregiver to return your pet within 48 hours.
For safety and confidentiality, your personal information stays with Women in Crisis or CMHA. GHS communicates with you through your worker, and foster caregivers remain anonymous.
Frequently asked questions
You can still ask Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis for help with your pet’s safety. They can talk with you about safety planning, possible care with someone you trust, and other resources. You do not need to have made a decision about leaving before you call.
Speak with staff at Marianne’s Place or CMHA Waterloo Wellington. They will help with the intake forms and contact GHS to discuss a placement.
No. GHS will arrange a veterinary examination and any necessary preventative care, including vaccinations, when your pet enters the program.
Foster care can be provided for up to 12 weeks.
In-person visits are not available for safety and confidentiality reasons. You can receive updates about your pet through your worker.
Let your worker know when you are leaving the program. Marianne’s Place or CMHA staff will contact GHS, and we will coordinate your pet’s return with their foster caregiver within 48 hours.
No. The program is free of charge.
For community partners
Pets in Transition began in 2018 through a partnership between GHS, Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis, and Community Veterinary Outreach. The program later expanded to support CMHA Waterloo Wellington clients, with help from local veterinary and animal welfare partners. PetSmart Charities of Canada supported that expansion.
If you are supporting someone who may need temporary care for their pet while seeking safety or treatment, email ghscares@guelphhumane.ca to discuss the referral process. Please leave personal client details out of your initial email.
Help by fostering
A confidential foster home can give a pet a safe place to stay while their person seeks support. If you may be able to care for a pet for 10–12 weeks, email foster@guelphhumane.ca.
GHS provides training, supplies, and ongoing support to foster caregivers in this program.
Other resources
If you need temporary pet care because of a different unexpected crisis, visit our Emergency Pet Boarding page to learn about that program.
For general questions about Pets in Transition, email ghscares@guelphhumane.ca or call 519-824-3091.