New research from James Cook University has found that women experiencing domestic violence are often forced to choose between their own safety and the safety of their pets, with limited pet-inclusive crisis support contributing to additional trauma and distress.
Lead author Dr Jasmine Montgomery said the findings highlight the need for a more coordinated response and that domestic violence service responses need to proactively address the needs of victim-survivors' pets.
"Women should not have to choose between escaping violence and protecting their pets," Dr Montgomery said.
"Our study found that victim-survivors accessing crisis services are often forced to separate from their pets at times of domestic violence.
"The potential impacts of forced separation from pets can result in victim-survivors experiencing isolation and poverty, disempowerment, homelessness and grief, loss and trauma."
"What became clear is that the crisis does not necessarily end once a victim-survivor leaves the violence. Without access to pet-inclusive transitional and long-term support, many face a secondary crisis months later, often resulting in further mental health distress, homelessness, financial hardship and a return to crisis support services."
The study proposes a nationally standardised and integrated framework to better support the safety and wellbeing of both victim-survivors and their pets.
"Our findings highlight the need for more coordinated, pet-inclusive approaches across domestic violence, housing, legal and animal welfare services," Dr Montgomery said.
"Pet-inclusive short-middle and long-term accommodation is required to reduce the barriers to victim-survivors fleeing domestic violence.
"There needs to be more cross-sector collaboration and coordinated case management in situations where both domestic violence support and animal welfare services need to be provided to a victim-survivor."
The study also identified animal-based coercive control, including threats or harm towards pets, as a significant factor influencing decisions to delay leaving abusive relationships.
"During the study, we found that the lack of pet-inclusive crisis responses for domestic violence resulted in victim-survivors deciding not to leave a perpetrator or returning to them," Dr Montgomery said.
Published in the Journal of Family Violence, the study explored the experiences of professionals working across domestic violence, homelessness, legal and animal welfare sectors throughout Australia.
