Huron Women's Shelter in Goderich is introducing a pilot program called "Pets in Shelter".
Community Engagement Director Laura Scott said in the past, pets have not been allowed in the shelter.
"That can be a barrier for women who are seeking help because they may be in a domestic abuse situation and they want to leave an abusive partner, but because they have a pet at home, they can't leave without the pet, so they stay," she said.
Scott said a study done by the University of Windsor showed that up to 89 per cent of women in an abusive situation will stay in that situation if a pet is in the home.
She said by allowing pets in the shelter addresses two concerns -- it provides comfort to the woman who has left a potentially abusive situation and provides protection for the pet.
"It's easy to implement a program like this and we've had some really good partners working with us, and a shelter in Ottawa who has successfully executed a program like this, so we've had input from them, so we know we're doing it well," said Scott.
The Huron Women's Shelter will start allowing pets on April 15.
