Battered Women Often Abuse Their Pets

Risks and Welfare to Animals

Violence against women continues to be a leading cause for social concern. While many women are gaining independence and the strength to remove themselves from a violent situation, there are some women who continue to tolerate abuse and battery as their way of life.

In finding serenity and peace in a home where abuse and battery may be quite common, it is not uncommon to find a battered woman closely connected to a domestic animal. Dogs and cats provide companionship and unconditional love that may not be present in their relationships with the humans within their household. As a result, the bond between a woman and her non-human companion may be quite strong.

While unfortunate, the animal companions of women who are engaged in an abusive relationship are often subjected to abuse themselves. Citing a close bond between a woman and her non-human companion, the abuser may be focused on destroying that bond, often resulting in animal abuse. Because the abuser is most often a male companion, the focus of the animal abuse may involve a desire to gain power, control and, ultimately, may lead to animal danger simply to adversely affect the woman in the relationship.

If you are involved in an abusive relationship, and you are very closely connected to your non-human companion, there may be a health risk to not only you but also your family pet. If you are in the process of finding shelter for yourself, and making changes to your living situation, it may be prudent to investigate the same type of shelter and protection for your family pet. While most women's shelters do not provide shelter for family pets, they can provide information on temporary housing and shelter when you are faced with the transition from an abusive relationship.