YWCA Nashville Celebrates Five Years of Abbie’s Safe Home, Providing a Lifeline for Domestic Violence Survivors and their Pets
YWCA Vice President of Crisis Services Sandra Dominguez, Gail Alexander, and Anne Morgan at the 5th Birthday Party / Fundraiser for Abbie’s Safe Home pet shelter on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 in Franklin, TN.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — August 31, 2026 — Five years after opening its doors, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is celebrating the lifesaving impact of Abbie’s Safe Home, the largest pet shelter of its kind on a domestic violence center campus in Tennessee.
Since opening on August 24, 2021, Abbie’s Safe Home has provided more than 7,600 nights of safety for over 175 pets, including dogs, cats, parakeets, rabbits, and a turtle. Located on the campus of YWCA Nashville’s Weaver Domestic Violence Center, the shelter allows survivors to escape domestic violence without having to leave their beloved animals behind.
The birthday milestone was celebrated at the Franklin home of Gail and Jim Alexander on Tues., Aug. 25, where approximately 30 community members and leaders gathered to learn more about Abbie’s and support its continued work. Longtime volunteer and licensed therapist, Anne Morgan, shared heartbreaking stories she heard from survivors about animals who were harmed or killed by abusive partners—including stories of dogs being thrown into dumpsters.
Those stories underscore why Abbie’s Safe Home is about far more than animal sheltering.
“For a survivor of domestic violence, being able to take a beloved pet with her can be the difference between leaving and staying,” said Sharon K. Roberson, President & CEO of YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee. “Abbie’s Safe Home is a lifesaver not only for the animals we protect, but for the women and children who can finally leave an abusive home knowing that the animals they love are safe, too.”
The shelter is named in honor of Abbie Wallace, Gail Alexander’s mother, whose legacy of compassion and generosity enabled YWCA Nashville to break ground, build, and open the state-of-the-art pet shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To learn more about Abbie’s Safe Home and support YWCA Nashville’s domestic violence services, visit YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee.
YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is one of the region’s leading advocates for women and families, operating the 70-bed Weaver Domestic Violence Center, the most comprehensive domestic violence shelter in the state, along with workforce development, youth empowerment, social justice and advocacy, and educational programs that serve thousands annually throughout the Middle Tennessee region.
For more information about YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, visit www.ywcanashville.com .
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