At Pasado’s Safe Haven, we believe compassionate action is fundamental to dismantling systems of oppression for all living beings. We live this belief every day through our work to end animal cruelty and our commitment to respect and kindness. We can only be successful by embracing the diversity and power of each individual’s lived experience as we all work together toward an expanded circle of compassion.
Pasado’s Safe Haven is on the lands of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla territories. Our sanctuary exists on the lands of the Tulalip, Snohomish, and Skykomish people. Since time immemorial, these traditional owners have cared for these lands and the animals who call it home. Pasado’s acknowledges that our home always was and always will be Native land. We support Indigenous sovereignty and their right to self-determination and honor their sacred connection to the land and water.
As we grow and unlearn, we will be honest about our mistakes and do our part in cultivating a future that honors Indigenous sovereignty, stories, and voices, to form a more just and equitable society.
View the full Native Land map here.
At Pasado’s Safe Haven, we are dedicated to taking concrete steps toward creating an inclusive environment for both animals and the community. Here are some the key DEI initiatives we’re working on for 2025:
Pasado’s Safe Haven has established a dedicated DEI Council, responsible for spearheading our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. In 2025, the council has developed a number of subcommittees to take action on projects that support and further our efforts to become better allies, advocates, and supporters of our community.
After writing our land acknowledgment, we have developed an implementation plan that reflects our ongoing commitment to doing better. The plan outlines goals for supporting Indigenous organizations and community members, transparency and accountability in the steps we are taking, and establishing feedback mechanisms so that we may hear critique and improve. This is the first in many steps that need to be taken for Pasado’s to show up meaningfully for our Indigenous friends, family, staff, volunteers, and neighbors.
We believe that access to our mission and services should never be hindered by language. To ensure our resources are accessible to everyone, we are expanding translation services across our materials, events, and digital platforms. This initiative aims to remove language barriers, ensuring that all community members, regardless of their primary language, can access the support they need. Our website is currently available in 12 languages.
We are developing an Inclusivity Style Guide to audit and update all our internal and external communications and materials. This guide will help ensure our messaging is inclusive, accessible, reflective of our values, and representative of the diverse communities we serve.
We are providing ongoing DEI training for all staff to foster a culture of empathy, understanding, and continuous growth. Many members of our team have completed the C.A.R.E. REDI training, ensuring we are approaching our work through a lens of racial equity and are equipped to support and engage with all communities respectfully.
Saying we care is one thing – acting like it is another. We serve low-income communities exclusively through our Pet Services program, prioritizing the unhoused community, survivors of domestic violence, and Indigenous tribal members. We are actively working on initiatives that authentically and respectfully serve underrepresented communities in ways that are meaningful to them as part of our 2025 goals.