🐕 I Need Help for My Pet
Find temporary-care information, pet food and supplies, veterinary help, crisis resources, and guidance for situations such as treatment, hospitalization, incarceration, housing instability, or domestic violence.
Pet & Community Resources
A starting point for finding help for your dog, your household, or someone you are helping through a temporary crisis.
Looking for help?
Finding the right resource can be overwhelming when everything is happening at once. We created this page to help you get to the right place faster.
Second Leash focuses on temporary foster care for dogs when their owners are facing circumstances such as treatment, hospitalization, incarceration, housing instability, domestic violence, or another temporary crisis. Placement is reviewed individually and is not guaranteed.
🐾 I Need an Animal Organization
Search our Arkansas directory of shelters, humane societies, rescues, animal services, and other animal-welfare organizations by county, organization type, animals served, and services.
Start with these statewide resources
Arkansas 211
Free, confidential information and referral service for food, housing, transportation, health care, treatment, domestic-violence services, and other local assistance.
Call 211 or text your ZIP code to 898211.
Pet Help Finder
Search by ZIP code for financially friendly veterinary care, pet food and supplies, temporary pet housing, transportation help, grooming, behavior support, and other pet resources.
Safe Havens for Pets
Find programs that help people experiencing domestic violence or homelessness with companion animals, including temporary sheltering and foster-based options.
Resources by situation
Going to treatment or rehab?
Plan ahead whenever possible. Gather your dog's records, medications, feeding instructions, behavior information, emergency contacts, and expected care period.
Facing hospitalization?
Contact trusted people, your veterinarian, local pet-resource programs, and Second Leash as early as possible if a medical stay may prevent you from caring for your dog.
Facing incarceration?
Make a plan before separation. Identify an authorized caregiver when possible and gather ownership, veterinary, medication, and routine information.
Experiencing housing instability?
Arkansas 211 can connect you with local human-service resources. Pet Help Finder and Safe Havens for Pets may help with pet-specific needs.
Leaving domestic violence?
Include pets in safety planning when it is safe to do so. Protect confidential location information and look for pet safe-haven options.
Need pet food or supplies?
Search Pet Help Finder and the Arkansas Community Directory for pet-food pantries, supply assistance, and animal organizations in your area.
Veterinary help
Find affordable care: Start with Pet Help Finder and search by ZIP code for financially friendly veterinary services.
Need an animal organization: Search the Arkansas Community Directory for organizations offering veterinary assistance, spay/neuter services, pet assistance, or other animal-welfare support.
Veterinary emergency: Contact a licensed veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic immediately. Second Leash is not a veterinary provider and cannot replace urgent medical care.
Prepare a temporary-care packet
If someone else will care for your dog temporarily, having complete information ready can make the transition safer and easier.
- Proof of ownership or authority to arrange care
- Veterinary records and vaccine history
- Medication names, doses, and instructions
- Feeding routine, food brand, allergies, and dietary restrictions
- Behavior history, triggers, bite history, and escape risks
- Microchip information and registration details
- Emergency contacts and authorized decision-makers
- Expected care period and communication plan
For referral partners & professionals
Treatment and recovery programs: Early planning can reduce the risk of surrender. Contact Second Leash as soon as possible so timing, consent, transportation, safety, and care needs can be assessed.
Hospitals and social services: Pet ownership can complicate hospitalization or crisis intervention. Referrals are most helpful when the expected timeframe and dog's basic needs are known.
Animal-welfare partners: If someone contacts your organization because they are temporarily unable to care for a dog, Second Leash may be another option to discuss before permanent surrender.
Emergency & urgent situations
Immediate danger: Call 911.
Veterinary emergency: Contact a licensed veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic. Do not delay emergency veterinary care while waiting for a nonprofit referral.
Stray, abandoned, injured, or dangerous animal: Contact the appropriate city or county animal-control authority. Second Leash is not an animal-control agency or public intake shelter.
Domestic violence: Use a safe device when possible and protect confidential location information. The National Domestic Violence Hotline and Safe Havens for Pets can help identify safety-planning and pet-care options.
Resource information changes
Services, eligibility requirements, hours, geographic coverage, intake policies, and funding can change. Always confirm current details directly with the organization before relying on a resource.
If you know of an Arkansas animal-welfare organization or pet resource that should be added, send it to Second Leash. Please include the organization's name, location, website, services, and best contact information.
Directory information is provided as a community resource. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement, and Second Leash does not guarantee that an organization will accept an animal or provide assistance.