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Rising eviction rates in Atlanta are impacting families, including their pets. In the first six months of 2023, the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank recorded over 72,000 evictions across a five-county region, marking a 12 percent increase from 2022.

While pets can improve an owner’s health, including lowered risk for cardiovascular disease and decreased anxiety, housing instability can exacerbate health problems. Tenants facing evictions and housing insecurity are more likely to develop suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety, according to a 2022 study.

Confronting the ongoing housing crisis is crucial in addressing mental health problems and overcrowding in shelters. DeKalb County Animal Shelter recently reported that it is in dire need of dog adoptions. Currently sheltering 561 dogs, it is well over its humane capacity of 475.

Lightening the shelter’s load is Paws Between Homes, a local organization that provides temporary foster homes for pets of Atlanta residents facing eviction or otherwise dealing with housing instability.

Founded in 2019 by members of local animal welfare and legal aid agencies like the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), Paws Between Homes served its first client in January 2020. AVLF offers the Saturday Lawyer program, which supports low-income tenants who often face illegal evictions and unsafe living conditions.

Through his work as an AVLF volunteer with the Saturday Lawyer program, Paws Between Homes Board President and co-founder Cole Thaler saw the impact of eviction on families and their pets.

“I thought Atlanta needed a safety net to keep loved and wanted pets out of the shelter,” Thaler told Georgia Voice. “I reached out to some of my contacts in the animal welfare and human services world and found that lots of people agreed with me.”

A relief for owners and pets alike, most foster placements adapt to the short-term stay and return to their owners within 90 days. Thaler says the reunions are his favorite moments.

“Dogs absolutely lose their minds when they see their owners again after three months,” Thaler said. “Jumping, tail wagging, so many kisses. When the family has children and I get to see the kids reunite with their beloved dog, it’s beyond heartwarming.”

Providing a safe home for a pet while its family faces housing instability is just one piece of the puzzle, but it can make all the difference during an uncertain time. Paws Between Homes needs more foster homes to meet the current demand and is always looking for like-minded volunteers.

“I knew that shelters were full of pets surrendered by loving owners who had fallen on hard times and lost their housing,” Thaler said.

Paws Between Homes offers assistance to Atlanta residents within the I-285 perimeter, but one organization saw the potential to ameliorate the issue of unhoused pets on a larger scale. In January 2024, the Atlanta Humane Society hired Thaler to manage Pets in Crisis Support to expand the work of Paws Between Homes and Ahimsa House, which fosters pets for people experiencing domestic violence.

“It’s amazing that animal welfare organizations with a greater reach are starting to use their resources to help people, not just pets,” Thaler said. “People don’t lead single-issue lives, so we have to break down our silos to help in truly impactful ways. A person may need help with stable housing, access to medical care, and a temporary foster home for their pet. They should have access to all those things with as few barriers as possible.”

Beyond offering support for animals and families in need, Thaler’s mission is multifaceted with the ultimate goal of seeing a “liberated world.”

“To me, liberation looks like unrestricted access to opportunity and the agency to chart our own paths,” Thaler said. “A liberated world is one of abundance, where all beings are safe, supported, and have what they need to thrive.”