An often overlooked and misunderstood aspect of animal abuse is its connection with domestic violence.

Domestic Violence and Pets from Red Rover lists many resources concerning safe-havens. Red Rover offers assistance for victims of domestic violence and their companion animals through the Domestic Violence Safe Escape Grants program. Specifically, this program offers financial support to enable domestic violence victims to leave their batterers. The program can help with the cost of veterinary care, transportation, and boarding.

Understanding the Link Between Animal Abuse and Family Violence from the American Humane Society from American Humane offers many sources of information on dealing with this problem.

Very often women don’t leave abusive relationships for fear of what the abuser will do to their pets. Often there’s nowhere to take the pet.

Foxy: I’m not sure how it happened, but I wandered around the Colorado mountains by myself for a few days. I wore a collar but no tag. This is how I looked when my humans found me. For several years, I was afraid of sacks and car keys.

The Humane Society of the US documents Animal Cruelty and Human Violence. You’ll find information here about animal cruelty and child cruelty, animal cruelty and elder abuse, and more.

If you provide safe havens for animals, be sure your shelter is listed in the Safe Haven for Animals (TM).

More and more communities are establishing support and homes for pets of individuals and families facing homelessness and abuse. Read about the Pet Assistance Network of Topeka (PANT) which places their pets in licensed shelters until they can be reunited with their owners.