About the Purple Leash® Project
The Purple Leash Project is an initiative launched by Purina PetCare Canada to help more domestic violence shelters across the country become pet-friendly, so survivors can escape with their pets and begin their healing journeys together.
To mark the Purple Leash Project’s launch in Canada in 2024, Purina Canada committed $75,000 to Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC). With this funding, WSC distributed grants to shelters across the country, which resulted in the enhancement of 20 already pet friendly shelters across Canada by adding washing stations, beds, litter boxes, cages, and ramps.
In 2025, Purina Canada donated an additional $150,000 to WSC. With this funding, WSC awarded grants to:
- Six (6) shelters that were not yet pet-friendly, with the goal of supporting their transition to welcoming pets on-site, and
- Four (4) additional shelters to enhance their already pet friendly spaces with essential pet supplies and equipment.
With Purina Canada’s support through the launch of the Purple Leash Project, WSC was able to introduce the Purple Leash Grant (previously the Pet Ready Grant), a national funding stream that helps shelters create safe, pet-inclusive spaces for survivors.
Purple Leash Grant
The Purple Leash Grant is for violence against women (VAW) shelters across the country to support them in removing barriers that prevent people and their pets* from staying together in shelters through thoughtful spatial design of shelter facilities.
Application window opens for Canadian VAW shelters across the country at the beginning of each year.
Your organization can apply if:
AND EITHER
OR
Funding cannot be used for:
- Veterinary Bills
- Salaries
- Pet clothing
Resources to help support your planning:
(Please note that some of these are American sources)
* Pet means a companion animal such as a cat, dog, or caged rabbit and excludes animals with a hoof and farm and livestock animals.