Pets are very often loved by their owners and it is not uncommon to hear then described as ‘part of the family.’ In a domestic violence situation, the perpetrator can use the female’s attachment to the animal as a way to assert his dominance and power. By mistreating an animal the perpetrator is showing the woman that he can physically dominate things he perceives to be weaker then himself, but also he knows how the abuse of the pet will affect the woman. The abuse of the animal may take the form of physical abuse, abduction, neglect, or the withholding of essentials such as food and water. Pet abuse can also be verbal, for example, repeated threats to take the animals life, threats to release the animal into the wild.
Pet abuse does not always have to be current within a relationship. It is not uncommon that perpetrators of domestic violence have a history of abusing animals as a child or teenager. Indeed, Tallichhet & Hensley (2009) found that from a sample of prisoners, inmates who had covered up their childhood and adolescent animal cruelty were more likely to have been convicted of repeated acts of interpersonal violence. They also commented on the great lengths that perpetrators will go to cover up these acts.
The effects of domestic violence on a child can be significant. A recent study in the US discovered that out of a sample of 860 people who had witnessed or perpetrated animal abuse, 60% reported having been neglected or witnessing domestic violence within the home as a child (DeGue & DiLillo 2009.) The percentage may seem high in this case, but there are many other studies going back over the years that support these findings. Whilst we are aware that children are often prone to copying behaviours they witness, it must be again reinforced that not every child will react this way having witnessed pet abuse.
As we have previously discussed, people become very attached to their animals and in many cases would be reluctant to give them up. Just because somebody else is acting in an abusive way does not automatically mean that you will lose your pet. In the first instance, and if at all possible, try to temporarily give the pet to a friend or family member to look after for a while.
If this is not possible, or is not effective, call the RSPCA. In some areas of the county, schemes run to take in pets that come from abusive homes. In these cases animals can be looked after for an extended period of time, and returned when home life is stable.