Between 71 and 85 percent of women entering domestic violence shelters reported that a partner had threatened, injured or killed the family pet, according to a study done in 1997.
When domestic violence victims with pets consider fleeing abusive homes and there is no safe place to house their pets, they often have to choose between remaining in their homes and subjecting themselves to continued violence, or fleeing and leaving their pets behind.
The American Humane Association, the leading organization raising awareness about The Link® between animal abuse and other forms of violence, has created the first national initiative to promote on-site housing of pets at women's shelters and to acknowledge the human-animal bond, which can be crucial to recovery after a crisis. This program is called The Pets and Women's Shelters Program, or PAWS™.
Sign this pledge today to support programs like PAWS and help raise awareness about The Link between animal abuse and domestic violence.
Recognizing both the urgent need to protect domestic violence victims from further abuse and the comfort that pets provide people, especially in times of stress and trauma, American Humane is leading a national program to guide domestic and family violence emergency housing shelters toward permitting residents to bring their pets with them. view whole pledge
Recognizing both the urgent need to protect domestic violence victims from further abuse and the comfort that pets provide people, especially in times of stress and trauma, American Humane is leading a national program to guide domestic and family violence emergency housing shelters toward permitting residents to bring their pets with them.
American Humane's Pets and Women's Shelters (PAWS) Program acknowledges the richness of the bond between people and their pets, which often provide unconditional love and comfort to adult domestic violence victims and their children. For that reason -- as well as for the safety of the pets -- American Humane strongly advocates keeping domestic violence victims and their pets together whenever possible.
This Startup Guide, written by Allie Phillips, J.D., director of public policy for American Humane, provides simple, how-to methods for starting a PAWS Program at a domestic violence shelter. In 2008, American Humane hopes to see 15 PAWS Programs launched across the country, with additional programs added in subsequent years.
American Humane envisions a day when no family members, including pets, will be harmed. Until that day comes, implementing a PAWS Program in every domestic violence shelter throughout the United States will help keep people and their pets safe. view less
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We signed the “Support On-Site Housing for Pets in Women's Shelters!” petition!
# 34,085:
4:38 pm PST, Feb 12,Paul Sanko, Pennsylvania
# 34,084:
12:19 pm PST, Feb 11,Nathan Revercomb, Colorado
# 34,083:
11:44 pm PST, Feb 10,Ryan Mcintosh, Washington
# 34,082:
8:11 am PST, Feb 6,Name not displayed, California
# 34,081:
9:38 am PST, Feb 5,Suzanne Chaffin, New Mexico
There is no question that abusive spouses rain punishment on pets as well as human innocents. Not only do these pets need protection when women leave abusers, but many women need to be confident that their pets will not be injured in order to leave at all. Sometimes the delay can be fatal for a woman and/or her children. Furthermore, when a domestic situation collapses, the survivors--in this case mother, children, and pets--all need to cling to each other desperately. On-site housing for pets in women's shelters is a brilliant idea long overdue.
# 34,080:
2:15 am PST, Feb 5,Catherine Truong, New York
# 34,079:
10:17 am PST, Feb 4,Larry Hirsch, Florida
# 34,078:
7:00 am PST, Feb 3,Barbara Freitas, Florida
# 34,077:
5:30 pm PST, Feb 2,Maisie Jordan, United Kingdom
# 34,076:
12:37 pm PST, Feb 1,Pamela Shaffer Stoll, California
We love our pets. Don't let leaving a pet behind to be injured or God forgive killed keep a woman and her children from safety. I would not leave my animals. Children and their mothers need the healing love of their best friend or friends!!
# 34,075:
6:18 pm PST, Jan 29,Name not displayed, Canada
Women who have had to flee abuse more than ever need their animal companions for support and love--to take that away from these women is really criminal in my eyes!!It would really demoralize them and take away their hope for a better life--please show compassion to womenis these unfortunate situations by allowing them to have their animal friends and support!!
# 34,074:
11:26 am PST, Jan 28,Maranda White, Michigan
# 34,073:
6:17 pm PST, Jan 26,Stephen Rodgers, Pennsylvania
# 34,072:
4:21 pm PST, Jan 26,Name not displayed, Canada
With the violence against the pets as well, there needs to be a place where these women's pets are safe. It must be so awful for these women not to have their pets with them knowing something terrible could happen to their pets. Pets can give them some comfort while they are in a shelter. This is very important to their well being and we've got to stop this violence against women and pets.
# 34,071:
3:07 pm PST, Jan 25,Amy Giza, Michigan
# 34,070:
2:13 pm PST, Jan 25,Danette Borg, Utah
Many abusers will in turn abuse the family pet to "get back at" their victim for leaving.
# 34,069:
9:41 am PST, Jan 25,Candice Davis, Texas
# 34,068:
10:37 am PST, Jan 24,Name not displayed, Mexico
# 34,067:
1:42 pm PST, Jan 23,Sarah Spaulding, California
These pets deserve to live too!!
# 34,066:
3:33 pm PST, Jan 22,Name not displayed, United Kingdom
# 34,065:
8:24 am PST, Jan 21,Name not displayed, Florida
my daughter has been faced with abusive relationships and she has two dogs and has no where to go i cant take her in because of my situation and my heart goes out to her as well as the many women and children who face this problem daily so i am signing this petion in hopes that this will change things and allow women to keep their pets as this is their only sense of feeling loved.
# 34,064:
6:09 am PST, Jan 21,Eileen Hughes, Florida
# 34,063:
11:24 am PST, Jan 20,Christina Hunter, Iowa
# 34,062:
3:12 pm PST, Jan 19,Kristina Chan, Canada
# 34,061:
12:33 pm PST, Jan 19,Merissa De La Garza, Texas
# 34,060:
8:21 pm PST, Jan 18,Joan Gilbert, Oregon
I believe this will help support the safety of the woman and the pet.
# 34,059:
10:40 am PST, Jan 18,Marianne Christensen, Denmark
# 34,058:
10:04 am PST, Jan 18,Lark Smith, Virginia
I'm sure it is traumatizing enough for women and children to have to leave home due to domestic violence, and leaving the family pet behind just adds to the pain these victims are going through. Being able to keep their pets would provide a source of comfort and would keep the pet safe from harm from the abuser.
view whole pledge