Hope in the Midst of Pandemic: COVID-19, Evictions, and Crisis Fostering

In case you haven’t noticed, things aren’t great right now.

On Monday, August 31, Nashville’s eviction moratorium ended, and people began to lose their homes. Two days later, the CDC issued a national stop to evictions. But with no plan to help renters long-term, this temporary fix only pushes the problem back. According to experts, 28 million Americans will face eviction due to the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic by the end of this year.

Although groups continue to press for continued protection against eviction, the crisis is here. You can stay up-to-date on eviction policy for each state here.

Here’s the problem: Pet-friendly housing is hard to come by. For pet owners who are being evicted right now, they don’t know what to do with their pets until they get back on their feet.

But there is a solution.

Pawster Nashville, in coordination with other Nashville-area nonprofits, is fostering pets when their owners are temporarily unable to care for them. Nashville’s SAFE Coalition has been working since late summer to prepare for the impending eviction crisis, and Pawster Nashville is helping to keep pets and owners together through this crisis.

Pawster Nashville is the only nonprofit in Nashville that focuses exclusively on crisis fostering.

We are learning the power of working together. In addition to partnering with MACC and local Nashville nonprofits, we have been learning from organizations like ours in other cities. There is a passionate world of people out there fighting to keep pets from becoming homeless, and Pawster Nashville is only one small part of this great work.

You can be a part of the solution.

You can become a Pawster Foster.

It is easy to feel helpless in these strange times. But what better way to help others AND fight the loneliness of social distancing, than by bringing a dog or cat into your own home? Studies have shown that pets drastically improve mental health during quarantine.

You can volunteer as a Pet Connector or Pet Chauffeur.

Pet Connectors help coordinate foster stays and support foster homes. Pet Chauffeurs transport pets to and from foster homes, vet appointments, groomers, and back to their owners. And if you have another skill, we’d love to hear how you want to help!