Abuse Victims and Their Pets: Part 1 of 3: The Big Picture

“The bond between pets and their owners can be very strong, which is exactly why an abuser knows they can exploit the victim’s love of a pet by threatening to injure the animal if the victim speaks up.”
-Ida Petkus, Director, Domestic Violence Advocacy Center in Mount Holly Newark Star Ledger, May 30, 2010

The connection between domestic abuse and animal abuse is undeniable. According to the American Humane Assocation:

• 71% of pet-owning women entering women’s shelters reported that their batterer had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control victims.
• 13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence.
• Between 25% and 40% of battered women are unable to escape abusive situations because they worry about what will happen to their companion animals should they leave.

What alternatives are left to victims of domestic violence when they are ready to seek refuge but have no safe haven for their pets? If they stay, they continue to expose themselves, their children, and their pets to ongoing violence. If they leave without the pets, those animals are at high risk of injury or death from the abuser. With that knowledge, the victim often stays in the relationship.

Making a fresh start with dignity and in safety is a positive change, but not without trauma for the abuse victim. In addition to assuring the wellbeing of companion animals, the comfort of a pet at such a stressful time can be significant.

In this 3-part series Part 2: When You are the Target of Domestic Violence tells what a domestic abuse victim can do to save herself and her pets. Part 3:  What Advocates Can Do addresses what a community can do to facilitate that safety net.