London, UK – MPs were invited to attend a charity event on October 22nd at Parliament to show support for those impacted by domestic abuse involving pets.
The event, hosted by Gloucestershire-based animal welfare charity Naturewatch Foundation and the All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (APDAWG), saw the attendance of several MPs from different parties. Among them were Sadik Al-Hassan, Jess Asato, Alex Brewer, Jess Brown-Fuller, Mims Davies, Marsha de Cordova, Rosie Duffield, Cat Eccles, Will Forster, Sir Roger Gale, Marie Goldman, Claire Hanna, Rebecca Harris, Tom Hayes, Ruth Jones, Alex Mayer, Caroline Nokes, Joshua Reynolds, Greg Stafford, Robin Swann, and Caroline Voaden.
During the event, Naturewatch Foundation shed light on the disturbing trend of using pets to control victims of domestic abuse. Perpetrators often threaten to harm or kill the animals in order to manipulate their victims, who may delay leaving in order to protect their beloved pets. This not only increases the danger faced by the victims but also puts a strain on already-stretched safeguarding resources.
As part of their ongoing campaign, “Protect Animals. Protect People,” Naturewatch Foundation has recommended two key measures to address this issue. These include raising awareness of animal abuse in the domestic abuse prevention toolkit and providing more support for the animal victims of domestic abuse.
The campaign was launched to complement the charity’s existing efforts to break the link between animal and domestic abuse, particularly in Eastern Europe. In June 2023, the campaign was extended to England and Wales, resulting in 95% of police websites offering advice to survivors of abuse where animals are involved. Police policies and training programs have also been adapted to address this issue.
Mark Randell, the campaign manager for Naturewatch Foundation, expressed gratitude to the attending MPs for supporting their campaign to improve support for domestic abuse victims with pets. He also noted the cross-party concern regarding the link between animal and domestic abuse.
According to Randell, domestic abuse accounts for 18% of all recorded crime, and abusers often target the special bond between a person and their pet as a way to control their victims. By breaking this link and protecting animals, we can also make people safer. A multi-agency approach is crucial in tackling this issue.
For more information on Naturewatch Foundation’s “Protect Animals. Protect People” campaign, please visit their website – naturewatch.org.
If you or someone you know is affected by the issues discussed in this article, there is help available. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline can be reached at 0808 2000 247, Dogs Trust Freedom at 0800 298 9199, Cats Protection Lifeline at 03000 121212, Refuge4Pets at 0300 4000 121, and the Endeavour Project at 01204 394 842.
(Source: NPCC)
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