While a domestic violence victim may be too afraid or embarrassed to admit that he or she is being abused, pets that witness or endure it don't lie. And now with a backdrop of the trauma endured by pets, animal control, law enforcement, and victims’ advocates are learning how to identify and pursue domestic abuse cases.
It's not always conclusive when a pet is skittish around one particular family member, but wounds, burns, and broken bones are typically signs of animal abuse—which experts have correlated to domestic violence. An estimated 71 percent of domestic violence survivors have pets that have also been abused.
Attorney General Mark Herring says since violence in the home is still a significant problem, agencies need more creative tools to identify it, while also removing obstacles to seeking help.
"So that if someone is concerned that if they leave a dangerous situation that their pet is going to not be taken care of or be in danger, it's about placing that pet somewhere so that the person will come forward and report the abuse and seek safety. Everything we can do to remove barriers to someone that is in a dangerous situation can help further victimization."
While they're both cruel, specific laws define whether a pet is suffering from abuse or neglect. Herring says responders not only need to know the connection and differences, but also need more uniform protocols to help communicate to other agencies when it does point to domestic abuse.
The Attorney General’s office hosted a one-day training conference on the connection between domestic violence and pet abuse. The educational sessions provided specialists with training and best practices on how to detect both types of abuse when responding to calls and how to intervene.
