Animal House Project

Animal House Project's mission is to offer comprehensive support to vulnerable animals. This includes rescuing, adopting, and facilitating access to veterinary care and food. Through dedicated efforts, innovative solutions and strategic partnerships, we are shaping a future where every companion animal finds a nurturing home free from mistreatment and hunger and receives the devoted care they deserve. We are committed to addressing the needs of at-risk animals and their dedicated families, ensuring a brighter future for these cherished companions.

Today, Animal House Project operates multiple programs under our 501 c3 umbrella:

Chester County Pet Food Pantry was formed in 2010 to help families facing financial stress feed their companion pets to keep them out of shelters and/or rescue. We have since grown to include multiple counties surrounding the Chester County Area.

Rescue Pet Food Pantry: In 2016, the Dick VanPatten Foundation loved our companion pet food pantry model and asked if we would be open to providing donated pet food to small grassroots rescues with revenues under a certain benchmark. These organizations have many animals and their vet bills are high and the access to food is daunting. We were given 8 weeks to distribute 700,000 lbs of pet food to 300 Rescues and as they say the rest is history. Fast forward to 2026, donations are low but we are still able to help 50 dog and cat rescues.

Disaster Pet Food Donations: Every year, our natural disasters seem to get worse. Whether it is Hurricanes like Helene (6 tractor trailer loads went out), California fires - Pet food was donated and staged in areas where rescues and companion pets would benefit and or the latest Georgia fires, where we are making arrangements to send much needed pet food south.

Between 2013 and end of year 2025, Animal House Project donated 9.5 million pounds of food to all three of these programs all with a Mighty force of Volunteers.

If that was not enough we created a Domestic Violence Program in 2016 helping families fleeing violent situations with their animals and children. Initially, we helped with food and supplies but in 2024, we were able to take in some animals when the only thought for these women were to surrender their pets. That was made possible when we absorbed a Pet Retail Store/Chester County Kennel location. In 2024, 90 companion pets came through our PA Rescue Location - 80% returned and 20% were surrendered; in 2025, we were able to accommodate 75 companion pets (72 dogs and 3 cats) 80% were reunited.

As hard as we try to keep companion pets at home with the families who love them, sometimes, it just becomes too much son in 2019, SafeHaven Animal Rescue Team was formed to Rescue, Rehabilitate Large Breed dogs who sadly are faced with surrender to shelters. Our Large Breed Rescue is located in Texas and we have a Chester County, Pennsylvania Facility that holds puppies and small to medium sized dogs.

Finally in 2024, In order to continue to receive the larger quantities of Pet Food, we absorbed a Pet Supplies store with the net profits funding our rescue efforts.

Our Dreams: To purchase Property in Texas to build our own Rescue, Rehabilitation and Sanctuary. Right now we are leasing 2 acres and we are landlocked with the 30 dogs that we currently have and since it is private property and we are not allowed to have volunteers help our personnel.

The second, we have been asked to build the first of its kind in Pennsylvania - a Facility that will house Animals (Dogs and Cats) who are removed from Domestic Violence situations. We have a property just need the funding within the next 12 months to make this a reality for so many who are faced with the decision of leaving their pets behind and/or surrendering them to a municipal shelter.