Domestic violence shelters opening doors to pets, too

Some victims of domestic violence are afraid to leave their abusers because they are afraid of what the abuser may do to a pet. According to an article from the Associated Press:

Studies have found about 70 percent of domestic violence survivors say their batterers also threatened, injured or killed their pets, and 25 to 50 percent say they delayed fleeing out of fear of what would happen to animals left behind, said psychologist Randall Lockwood, an ASPCA senior vice president.

"The pets that are normally a source of comfort in families can become targeted, particularly if the abuser sees that as a way to get the power or control they're looking for without inflicting harm directly on the child or spouse," he said.

In response, a few shelters in Minnesota are trying to meet the need to accommodate pets along with their owners. One is working on building a facility for pets, and another has been allowing pets since the 1970s — one of the first shelters in the country to do so.