
In 2018, a veterinary hospital in Deland, Florida made headlines when a woman slipped a note to the staff, saying her boyfriend was holding her captive. The staff quickly took action, alerting the authorities and moving the couple to a safe area. They evacuated everyone else except for the staff. The police arrived and arrested the boyfriend, who had a weapon on him at the time (McCafferty, 2022)
Cheryl Herschell, a Certified Veterinary Technician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania presented at the 2022 American Veterinary Medical Association Convention and said the following when discussing this story.
“It's a lot easier to victimize a cat than it is a person and threats and intimidation prevent victims from leaving. This is the reason that many domestic violence victims do not leave their homes. They don't leave their homes because they are afraid of what's going to happen to their animals when they leave. They will blame the animals for animal abuse. Again, that is a form of domestic abuse, and they act out on pets because they believe that the police will not pursue” (Herschell, 2022).
Because animal ownership, domestic violence, and animal abuse as a form of partner violence are prevalent worldwide, it's highly probable that veterinary professionals will frequently encounter both people and animals experiencing abuse (Riggs et al., 2021). Urban Resource Institute partnered with the National Domestic Violence Hotline to conduct the largest nationwide survey of domestic violence survivors and found that 76% of respondents reported noticeable changes in their pet’s behavior as a result of abuse (Urban Resource Institute, 2023).
The Paw In Hand Project advocates for veterinary care for every pet we serve, recognizing the pivotal role veterinarians play in supporting both survivors and their pets. Veterinarians are often at the forefront of providing assistance to these individuals, making their involvement crucial in ensuring the well-being of both survivors and their animal companions. We strive to promote trauma-informed care among veterinary staff and are actively developing training materials to help them recognize and respond to signs of abuse in both pets and owners. Additionally, we collaborate with veterinarians to ensure that pets receive essential care, including immunizations, flea and tick preventatives, and wellness exams. We also aim to ensure that our veterinarians are well-informed about community resources available to assist survivors directly, and we actively collaborate with local partners to expand access to these resources.
What would you do in a situation like the one above?
Written by Weston Lock
References
Herschell, C. (2022, July 29-August 2). When Domestic Violence Arrives at the Clinic: Intersectionality of Animal Neglect/Abuse and DV [Conference presentation]. American Veterinary Medical Association Convention, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
McCafferty, C. (Ed.). (2022, September 6). Domestic violence and the Veterinary Clinic. DVM 360. https://www.dvm360.com/view/domestic-violence-and-the-veterinary-clinic
Urban Resource Institute. Pals report: People and animals living safely (pals). URINYC. (2023, December 7). https://urinyc.org/palsreport/
Paterson, R., Boller, E., Kim, Y., Hammond, K., & Diemer, K. (2024). What can veterinary professionals do? Measuring the effect of one domestic violence training pilot program on veterinary professionals' capacity to recognize, respond, and refer human victims of domestic violence. Frontiers in veterinary science, 11
Riggs, D. W., Taylor, N., Fraser, H., Donovan, C., & Signal, T. (2021). The link between domestic violence and abuse and animal cruelty in the intimate relationships of people of diverse genders and/or sexualities: A binational study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(5-6)
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