Staying Safe Together Pets and their Owners Maintain Bonds

Posted @ Jun. 30 2011 07:32AM by Ray - health-wellness

By Maya Gupta, Ph.D.
Executive Director,
Ahimsa House

For many of us, our pets are part of the family. They provide us unconditional love and they somehow seem to know how to help us cope through the toughest times. We can’t imagine being without them, and we certainly can’t imagine them being harmed.
Now imagine if you were in an abusive relationship and your pet was being deliberately hurt or threatened as a way to terrorize and control you. Our first instinct might be to say, “Well, that would never be me—I’d never let anyone do that to me and I’d certainly never let anyone hurt my pet.” But what if your partner said, “If you try to leave me, or if you tell anyone, I’ll kill your dog?” And then if you did try to escape with your pet, what if you learned that the local domestic violence shelter wouldn’t allow you to bring Fluffy or Rover with you? Or if you sought refuge with friends or family, but they were allergic to animals or lived in an apartment that had a strict no-pets policy?

If you were ever in this situation, you wouldn’t be alone. As many as 71% of victims entering domestic violence shelters report that their abusers threatened, injured, or killed pets. With fewer than one in eight domestic violence shelters able to accept pets, nearly half of victims of violence report that they delayed seeking safety due to concerns about their pets. Some initially escape but then return to an abusive situation to reclaim or care for pets left behind. Further, for both children and adults, witnessing harm to a beloved pet—or being forced to abandon a pet who may be a vital source of emotional support—is yet another form of trauma in what is already a crisis situation. Abuse of pets has also been shown to be linked to child abuse and elder abuse. Moreover, children who witness harm to their pets may be more likely to engage in animal abuse themselves, which can be a warning sign for future dangerous behavior. As you can see, in homes where violence occurs, the well-being of the two-legged and four-legged members of the family is closely connected.
Ahimsa House is Georgia’s only nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the human and animal victims of violence reach safety together. (“Ahimsa,” pronounced uh-HIM-sah, means “nonviolence” in Sanskrit.) Founded in 2004 by a survivor of domestic violence who had lost her own pet to the abuse, Ahimsa House offers aid to victims of domestic violence who need help getting their pets to safety. A 24-hour statewide crisis line (404-452-6248) is available to victims and their representatives. Services include assistance with pet food and supplies, help with including pets in safety planning, guidance on listing pets on protective orders, and assistance with pet deposits.

Ahimsa House also offers an Emergency Animal Safehouse program, providing shelter for pets until they can reunite with their owners in a safe environment. Since 2004, this program has provided over 19,000 nights of safe shelter, as well as veterinary care for animals with injuries or neglected routine health needs. Forensic veterinary examinations are also provided when necessary to assist in establishing whether a pet’s injury (or, sometimes, death) was caused by the abuse. This evidence may be introduced in court to help prosecute abusers for both animal cruelty and domestic violence.
Via a network of foster homes and boarding facilities, Ahimsa House is able to provide shelter for pets of any kind, anywhere in Georgia. Animals sheltered to date include dogs, cats, “pocket pets,” birds, reptiles, and horses. To learn more about Ahimsa House, or to find out about volunteering as an animal transporter, foster home, outreach ambassador, or in some other way, visit www.ahimsahouse.org or call 404-496-4038.