Home Away From Home

• The owner and animal(s) are displaced from their home due to a natural disaster.
• The owner is fleeing domestic violence and/or partner abuse.
• The owner is temporarily hospitalized for medical treatment or rehabilitation.
• The owner and animal(s) are facing a temporary change in housing due to an extenuating circumstance such as the owner’s illness or loss of housing such as eviction or foreclosure.

Home Away from Home is best-suited for pet families experiencing manageable hardships and challenges to provide care for their pets. Pet families who work with human social service agencies, have outside support such as friends and family, and/or are able to resolve and overcome their challenges within 30-days are more likely to successfully reunite with their pets through this program.

Home Away from Home is not a boarding program. If you are seeking boarding services for your pet(s), we would recommend doing an internet search for boarding facilities in your area, or exploring resources like Rover for drop-in visits, house sitting, and dog walking.

To explore human support services available in your area, please visit FindHelp
To explore pet support services available in your area please visit Pets.FindHelp
To explore outside temporary caregivers in your area, please visit our friends at BestyBnB

• Applications are initially approved for a time frame of up to 30-days.
• Applicants may apply for an extension of an additional 30-days, so long as they find additional support, and are actively working towards meeting their goals.
• An applicant’s total approved participation in the program may not exceed 90-days. At that time, the pet family would be removed from the program and the pets would be required to exit the program and be reclaimed by the pet owner and/or surrendered to the shelter for adoption.
• Once a pet family exits Home Away from Home, they are not eligible to reply for a minimum of six (6) months. Re-enrollment is considered on a case-by-case basis, and may require additional considerations for approval.

KC Pet Project cannot guarantee placement for accepted applications and/or extensions to enrollment within our program, despite our best efforts. As Kansas City’s municipal shelter, placement for pets enrolled in this program depends solely on the availability, skills, and willingness of our approved foster homes.

Success in the Home Away from Home program is reliant upon program participants partnering with our team and actively working towards their assigned program goals. Program participants are strongly encouraged to seek additional support through human social service agencies prior to and during their enrollment in the Home Away from Home program. Program participants who are able to get connected to other support services are more likely to be successful in reuniting with their pets by their program exit day.

Pet families enrolled in this program communicate directly with our case management team who provide weekly updates, including photos and videos of the pet(s), and weekly check-ins to ensure pet families are on track to reuniting with their animals.

Due to limitations of resources, program participants are strongly encouraged to seek additional support through human social service agencies. Program participants who are able to get connected to other support services are more likely to be successful.

To explore human support services available in your area, please visit FindHelp
To explore pet support services available in your area please visit Pets.FindHelp

Upon submitting a completed application, it may take up to 72 hours for an application to be reviewed. Upon review, a member of our Keep ‘Em Together, KC team will be in touch to discuss the application and the client’s needs for support.

KC Pet Project cannot guarantee placement for accepted applications within our program, despite our best efforts. As Kansas City’s municipal shelter, placement for pets enrolled in this program depends solely on the availability, skills, and willingness of our approved foster homes. Securing temporary foster placement for approved applicants may take several weeks.

If you are experiencing an urgent or emergent need to find temporary care for your pet(s), we highly recommend exploring temporary caregivers in your area through BestyBnB.

Applications for Home Away from Home must be submitted and approved prior to enrollment in the program. Intake of animals enrolling in the Home Away from Home program should be scheduled and are not accepted without prior authorization. KC Pet Project is unable to provide same-day assistance due to the limitations of available space and program resources.

If approved for Home Away from Home, pet families will work with a Keep ‘Em Together case manager to setup an appointment for program entry and to finalize their enrollment.

Upon submitting a completed application, it may take up to 72 hours for an application to be reviewed. Upon review, a member of our Keep ‘Em Together, KC team will be in touch to discuss the application and the client’s needs for support. Please allow our team up to 72 hours to review your application prior to reaching out.

• Questions related to a submitted application may be directed to [email protected]
• Questions related to the Home Away from Home program, including qualifications, eligibility and other general questions can be directed to our Pet Helpline by calling 816-683-1383.

Applicants may request care for a combination of cats, dogs, small animals, and exotic animals. Small animals and exotic animals include, but are not limited to, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats, snakes, bearded dragons, turtles, etc.

Animals with severe behavior challenges and/or medical needs may not be eligible for enrollment and are considered on a case-by-case basis and availability of appropriate foster placement.

Dogs and cats enrolled in Home Away from Home are required to be microchipped, current on vaccinations and spayed/neutered. KC Pet Project may be able to assist with these services for approved pets prior to enrollment.

Pet owners may provide medications, favorite toys or bedding, treats, any available pet food, and/or any other supplies that they would like for their pet(s) while they are enrolled in Home Away from Home.

Pets that require medications may have additional documentation required prior to enrollment.

Visitation of the pets by the owners may be requested, and, if approved, will be arranged by KC Pet Project and conducted at a neutral location (e.g. shelter facility). Owners of small animals or cats will not be eligible for visitations while enrolled in the Home Away from Home program.

If approved for visitation, pet owners are allowed to pick their pet(s) up for a few hours to spend time together outside of the shelter. Pet owners must return the animal by their scheduled time or forfeit their participation in Home Away from Home.

As part of enrollment in Home Away from Home, clients are required to participate in weekly check-ins and stay in regular contact with their assigned case manager. During the scheduled check-ins, pet owners will receive updates about their pets, including photos and videos, as available.

KC Pet Project staff and volunteers are committed to protect the confidentiality of the pet owners who have applied for and/or enrolled into the Home Away from Home Program by not disclosing any information about the pets, the pet owners, or the situation that necessitated the enrollment of the pets in the program. ​This restriction extends to social media posts/content related to the care of the pets, finding foster placement for the pets, unless otherwise approved by the pet family.

All communication is coordinated with a member of the Keep ‘Em Together, KC, team who are responsible for collecting updates and relaying information to the appropriate parties. Home Away from Home Fosters are not provided with any personal information (address, email, telephone numbers) of the pet owners.

KC Pet Project cannot guarantee placement for accepted applications within our program, despite our best efforts. As Kansas City’s municipal shelter, placement for pets enrolled in this program depends solely on the availability, skills, and willingness of our approved foster homes. Securing temporary foster placement for approved applicants may take several weeks.

If an appropriate and well-matched foster home isn’t available then we are unable to enroll the pet family into the program. Additionally, if a foster becomes unavailable to continue to care for pets enrolled in Home Away from Home, the pets family may have to exit the program.

KC Pet Project does not offer transportation assistance for pet families at this time. If transportation is an issue, please be sure to speak with a member of our Keep ‘Em Together, KC, team at time of enrollment.

Pet owners are required to provide a secondary contact as part of program enrollment. The secondary designated contact may be granted permission by the pet owner to pick-up their pets on their behalf. Additional documentation and paperwork is required prior to an animal being allowed to leave with anyone other than their owner.

There may be some transportation resources available to you.
To explore pet support services available in your area please visit Pets.FindHelp
To explore public transportation opportunities, visit RideKC’s Rider Guide and Code of Conduct

As the municipal shelter for Kansas City, Missouri, we are unable to provide support for pet families that do not reside within our jurisdiction. Proof of residency is required to access Home Away from Home.

To explore human support services available in your area, please visit FindHelp
To explore pet support services available in your area please visit Pets.FindHelp
To explore temporary caregivers in your area, please visit our friends at BestyBnB

Fostering is what keeps this program alive! Without our incredible Home Away from Home fosters, owned pets would be turned away from the program entirely. We are currently in desperate need for additional Home Away from Home fosters. This program is an incredible opportunity for first-time fosters to get a taste of what fostering is like or for experienced fosters who want to try something new! Sign up to foster for Home Away from Home.