ST. LOUIS — Purina and several community partners announced St. Louis will turn purple Wednesday and Thursday in recognition of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Lights throughout the city, including at Union Station, Centene Stadium, Enterprise Center, the St. Louis Wheel, Ballpark Village, Kiener Plaza and thousands of lights downtown, will change their hues to purple for Purple Thursday, Oct. 20
The St. Louis Ending Domestic and Sexual Violence Network asked area businesses, schools, landmarks and public spaces to change their exterior lighting to purple on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
According to Purina, the violet lights will shine a light on the important issue of domestic violence among people and pets. This initiative is a part of Purina’s Purple Leash Project.
“Purple represents domestic violence awareness, and a purple ribbon is often used to show symbolic support of domestic violence survivors,” the company said in a news release.
According to Purina, only 15% of domestic violence shelters accept pets and nearly half of domestic-abuse victims delay leaving because they can’t take their pet with them.
Purina Director of Community Affairs Kim Beardslee said when the company learned of the sacrifices many domestic violence survivors with pets are being forced to make -- staying in an abusive situation or leaving a beloved pet behind due to the lack of pet-friendly shelters -- the company knew it needed to help.
In 2019, Purina partnered with RedRover to create the Purple Leash Project and have since provided over 30 grants to help make domestic abuse shelters across the country more pet friendly.
“Last year, we held our first Purple Thursday in St. Louis … teaming up with Lydia’s House to turn the St. Louis Wheel at Union Station purple to raise awareness,” Beardslee said.
For information about the program or to make a donation, visit purpleleashproject.com.
Purina is asking local pet parents in the St. Louis area to help raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence. Throughout October, individuals who share a photo of their pet on Facebook tagging Purina and using the hashtag "#PurpleLeashProject" will be entered to win two tickets to an upcoming St. Louis Blues hockey game.
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