Nearly half of the women entering shelters for protection from
domestic violence say their pet has been threatened, injured or
killed by their partner, according to several surveys. Perhaps
even worse for the women involved, others report they have
delayed leaving their homes because they feared for their pets'
safety.
If that's not enough evidence to suggest that animal cruelty
is part and parcel of domestic violence, consider this one
example from Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and Animal
Abuse, edited by Frank R. Ascione and Phil Arkow.
"A victim entered the domestic violence center seeking a
restraining order; she had been beaten the previous evening and
had several bruises on her face and upper torso. The crucial
factor in her deciding to seek help was that the abuser had hit
her oldest child who had tried to intervene when an argument
began. The victim also noted on the checklist that household
animals had also been abused," the book notes.
"Upon further inquiry by the case manager, the victim stated
the fight had begun when the children's new puppy soiled the
carpet, and the perpetrator had yelled and kicked the puppy,
picked it up and threw it against the wall. The perpetrator
became verbally and physically abusive toward the victim, and
the child who was trying to protect the puppy."
Such stories are not unusual. Family violence advocates hear
them frequently from victims. That's in part why The HSUS has
designated April 18-24 as the Fourth Annual
Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week and has
selected the theme "Animal Cruelty IS Family Violence"
to bring more attention to pets who are mistreated in the
course of domestic violence.
"We want to bring this message to all communities while also
offering solutions to help human service and animal protection
professionals establish Safe Havens for Animals™
programs," says Virginia-Marie Beckett, manager of The
HSUS's First Strike® campaign..
These programs involve collaborative relationships between
domestic violence shelters, animal care and control agencies,
animal shelters, veterinarians, and even private boarding
kennels to provide safe, temporary housing for pets who come
from violent homes.
"We know some victims of domestic violence stay too long in
a violent home to protect their family pet. Safe Havens for
Animals provide a critical, community-based approach to
stopping violence," notes Rita Smith, executive director of the
National Coalition Against
Domestic Violence (NCADV), a supporter of the Awareness
Week.
How badly are Safe Havens for Animals needed? In a recent
sample of some of the largest domestic violence shelters around
the country, The HSUS found that 91% of advocates who work with
victims of domestic violence say they have heard adult victims
talk about incidents of pet abuse. Seventy-three percent of the
same group of advocates say they have heard children talk about
pet abuse too. And yet: Only 18% of the shelters surveyed
routinely ask about pets when a victim comes to them for
services.
"This finding indicates that some domestic violence shelters
may be missing a critical opportunity to assist victims in
finding a safe place for their companion animals," says
Beckett.
The Pathology of Animal Abuse
The connection between animal abuse and human violence is
still a relatively new field of study. As Randall Lockwood,
vice president of research and educational outreach for The
HSUS, noted in the introduction of Child Abuse, Domestic
Violence and Animal Abuse: "A decade ago, stories of animal
cruelty and human violence were not a significant part of
popular culture and did not attract major media attention. That
has changed dramatically."
So has our understanding of why batterers threaten, abuse
and/or kill animals. Among the motivations:
- To demonstrate and confirm power and control over the
family
- To isolate the victim and children
- To force the family to keep violence a secret
- To perpetuate the context of terror
- To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her/him to
return
- To punish the victim for leaving
- To degrade the victim through involvement in the
abuse
To help expose this shadowy world of animal violence as
family violence, The HSUS, with the help of the NCADV, has
distributed a new poster with the “Animal Cruelty IS
Family Violence” message to several thousand animal shelters
and domestic violence groups around the country.
Two other domestic violence advocacy organizations, the Family Violence Prevention
Fund (FVPF) and Rape, Abuse
& Incest National Network (RAINN) are also highlighting
this issue to their members. In addition, Advocate EAP, a Maryland based
employee assistance program, is sending information to their
network of mental health professionals.
The HSUS is also featuring an online listing of more
than 90 Safe Havens for Animals type programs, and will
introduce guidelines to assist animal care professionals,
domestic violence advocates, and veterinarians in starting such
programs.
How You Can Help
Here are a few ways you can raise awareness in your
community about the connection between animal cruelty and
family violence:
- Collect pet-related items such as bowls, leashes, toys,
carriers, food, and treats, which can then be donated to a
local Safe Haven for Animals type of program. Consider asking
a local pet supply store to donate these items or invite
co-workers, friends, and neighbors to contribute. (First,
contact your local animal shelter or domestic violence agency
to see if they have such a program, and, if so, what kind of
items they need.)
- Contact your local animal shelter or domestic violence
agency to see if they have a temporary sheltering program for
pets who come from violent homes, and, if so, volunteer to be
a foster caregiver. (The program may require a criminal
background check and require you to successfully complete an
orientation program.)
- Ask local veterinary clinics, pet supply stores,
groomers, and other businesses to display The HSUS poster,
which reflects the theme "Animal Cruelty IS Family
Violence." To order a free 81/2 x 11 poster, e-mail firststrike@hsus.org and
include your mailing address or call First Strike toll free
at 1-888-213-0956. Bulk orders of 11-20 are $3. Send your
check or money order, payable to The HSUS, to the address
below.
- Create a visual display of the theme "Animal Cruelty
IS Family Violence" at your local animal shelter,
police station, library, school, county government building,
shopping mall or other appropriate public area.
For more information on the animal cruelty/family violence
connection write to:
First Strike
The HSUS
2100 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
Or call: 888-213-0956.
