OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — From helping those experiencing homelessness to domestic violence survivors and others facing crisis, the nonprofit Together Furever has seen a growing need to care for these neighbors pets.
- An increase in need has forced the nonprofit to turn some pets away.
- To continue operations, they need support and are looking for a new overflow location to take in more pets.
- “Their pets are usually the only thing they have left. It’s a companionship that you just can’t explain to somebody. Unless you’ve been in that situation, that’s your last hope sometimes."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From helping those experiencing homelessness to domestic violence survivors and others facing crisis, the nonprofit Together Furever has been caring for these neighbors' pets since 2021. Since then, their operation has grown, so much so that providing care for every pet who needs it is becoming a challenge.
This is Coco the cat. She's currently being fostered under the care of Together Furever.
“We wanted to give the pets a safe place while their owners can kind of get their ducks in a row and kind of move on to achieve their goals,” said Nicole Retman, president and co-founder of Together Furever.
The nonprofit started because Retman and her team noticed there’s a barrier many neighbors experiencing homelessness face when it comes to asking for help.
“Their pets are usually the only thing they have left. It’s a companionship that you just can’t explain to somebody. Unless you’ve been in that situation, that’s your last hope sometimes,” she said.
Working with law enforcement, case managers and partner organizations, Together Furever provides temporary foster care until owners can get into proper housing.
But now, an increase in need has forced the nonprofit to turn some pets away.
“We just are bombarded with calls. We just don’t have enough space or funds to do it,” said Retman.
To continue operations, they need support and are looking for a new overflow location to take in more pets.
Because while they work with several partner organizations, places like the Nebraska Humane Society don’t foster animals.
Is it overwhelming for the shelter?
“Yes, it definitely is because, you know, we take care of pets that are unhoused, who don’t have owners at the moment. So usually, our capacity is pretty full,” said Maya Ibarra, the NHS community programs manager.
In some cases, pets will have to be surrendered to the Humane Society depending on the owner’s situation. But if they can prevent it, those pets are referred to Together Furever.
For Retman, the work she does hits close to home — having gone through homelessness at a young age herself.
“Having the empathy and knowing how these people are feeling because you’ve been through it is something totally different than trying to understand somebody’s situation without having been through it,” said Retman.
If you want to support Together Furever and their mission, you can visit them tonight at the Omaha Dog Bar for Rescue Night. They’ll be set up at a booth from 6 to 8 p.m.
