Temporary Boarding for Dogs During Short-Term Emergencies
When families face sudden emergencies, dogs are often at risk of losing their homes.
**DFW/Forth Worth Residents Only
Sometimes families face sudden situations that make it temporarily impossible to care for their dog — hospitalization, housing emergencies, domestic violence relocation, or other short-term crises.
Second Leash created the Crisis Boarding Program to prevent dogs from being surrendered during these difficult moments.
This program provides short-term boarding or foster care while owners stabilize their situation and prepare to bring their dog home.
Our goal is simple:
Keep dogs with the families who love them.
However, this program is designed for temporary emergencies only and has strict eligibility requirements.
**Important Program Guidelines
To protect the dogs, the organization, and the families we serve, the Crisis Boarding Program operates under the following structure:
• Maximum boarding period is 30 days • A specific reclaim date must be agreed upon before boarding begins • Owners must remain in weekly communication with our team • Owners must contribute a refundable deposit toward the boarding cost • Dogs must be healthy, safe, and suitable for a boarding or foster environment
Second Leash has limited capacity and may only assist a small number of families at any given time.
Submitting an application does not guarantee approval.
The program is intended for short-term emergencies where the owner fully intends to reclaim their dog.
**Situations This Program Cannot Support
Unfortunately, we cannot provide boarding for situations such as:
• Permanent housing loss with no future plan • Owners relocating to housing that permanently does not allow pets • Behavioral issues including aggression • Long-term boarding requests over 30 days • Requests intended as surrender or rehoming
If you are looking to permanently rehome your dog, this program will not be the right fit.
Owner Responsibilities
Owners approved for the program must agree to:
• Provide proof of ownership and veterinary records • Maintain weekly communication during the boarding period • Reclaim their dog by the agreed-upon return date • Pay the required deposit before boarding begins • Sign the Crisis Boarding Agreement
Failure to reclaim a dog or maintain communication may result in transfer of ownership to the organization after the agreed grace period.
Program Capacity
Due to the resources required for safe boarding, Second Leash can only assist a limited number of dogs at one time.
Applications are reviewed based on urgency, eligibility, and available space.
Apply for Crisis Boarding Assistance
If you are experiencing a temporary emergency and need short-term boarding for your dog, please complete the Crisis Boarding Application Form below.
We review all requests with compassion andwill review your request and respond if space and eligibility allow.
