Lost Our Home Pet Foundation

February 15, 2015

Who Is Lost Our Home?

Lost Our Home Pet Foundation was founded in 2008 as a grassroots response to the thousands of pets in need as a result of the economic downturn and Phoenix-area foreclosure crisis in particular.

We quickly expanded to provide other programs as the demand was extreme and there was a gap in the type of services offered in the community to fill the need. Lost Our Home is a non-profit 501c3 charitable organization that provides animal welfare services for both pets and their people.

Mission and Distinction

Lost Our Home's mission is to keep pets in loving homes when families face major life challenges. We provide compassionate alternatives to abandonment with support from the community and the real estate industry.

Lost Our Home is the only animal rescue organization in the Valley dedicated to saving pets abandoned in foreclosed homes or at risk of homelessness due to financial hardship. We are also the sole animal welfare organization in Phoenix that offers a 90-day temporary care program and a pet-friendly rental service, both of which are focused on keeping pets with families.

In addition, we also offer a pet food bank for the very financially needy families so they don't have to give up their pets either when they temporarily can't afford them.

Lost Our Home is a no-kill rescue and our programs are linked to preserving the human-animal bond.

Animal Rescue Abandoned Pets

We rescue pets that have been abandoned (often without food and water) in the wake of foreclosures and evictions.

Temporary Care Program

We provide up to 90 days of pet care for pet parents forced to move because of foreclosure or other critical life challenge (homelessness, going to a domestic abuse shelter, hospitalization, etc) and are unable to take their pets with them immediately.

Low-Income Boarding

Our "no frills" boarding is designed to help families who can't afford traditional boarding. When families have emergencies and can't afford boarding, pets often are left alone. Our program ensures these pets are safe, fed, and well-cared for.

Animal Rescue-Owner Surrender

We take in pets from owners forced to give them up because of foreclosure or other life challenges as above when they know they will not be able to care for their pet anymore. We find new, loving, adoptive homes for these pets

Pet-Food Bank

The Lost Our Home Pet Food Bank is a critical program for families in need. If a family can no longer afford food and supplies for their pets, we provide pet food, leashes, collars, cat litter, treats, and other supplies - giving them the opportunity to keep their pets, rather than taking them to a shelter or, worse, abandoning them.

Pet-Friendly Rental Service

Our Realtor volunteers locate then negotiate pet-friendly rentals for harder-to-place situations and donate 100 percent of their commission to cover pet deposits.

Outcomes

Since 2008 we have cared for over 2,500 pets through our rescue and temporary-care program, reunited over 250 pets with their families, and fed more than 12,000 through our Pet-Food Bank.

Why And Where

Lost Our Home helps strengthen family bonds and create stronger communities in the greater Phoenix area by keeping pets out of kill shelters and with their loving families, or finding new loving families when needed.

Our initial focus was on saving abandoned animals; we now also provide proactive services that help keep people and their pets together as a family. When people are facing difficult times and survival is the stress they hold every minute of every day, they are relieved to know that there are options for their family pet other than permanent surrender, or worse yet, surrendering their pet to a kill shelter.

Lost Our Home cares for their pets temporarily so they can regain stability in their lives, then be reunited with their pet. Or, if they feel they will not be able to care for their pet again, they have comfort of knowing that we are a no-kill shelter and their pets will be adopted by a new loving family.

How - Foster Families And Shelter Care

Lost Our Home uses foster families and a shelter to care for pets until they are adopted or reunited with their families. There are over 300 volunteers dedicating more than 1,200 hours each month to care for animals in the shelter, in their homes, attending adoption events, raising funds, delivering food, transporting animals to veterinary appointments, and more.

There are generally 175 pets in foster care and 100 pets in the shelter at any given time.

Honors, Awards

• Lost Our Home Board Chair Brenda Breit recognized as a finalist for the National Association of Realtors® 2013 Good Neighbor Award for her voluntarism with Lost Our Home. (NARS is America's largest group of independent businesspeople and the biggest professional trade association in the U.S.A). (September 2013)

• Ahwatukee Foothills Friends and Neighbors - Charity of the year (2013 and 2014)

• Scottsdale Women's Association of Realtors - Charity of the year (2013)

• Rescued cat "LB" received HERO award from Maricopa County Animal Care and Control

• "12 Who Care Award" from Channel 12 ( March 2012)