In a Violent Home Everyone is a Victim Leanne Sillers, BSW, RSW Animal Safekeeping Coordinator

Saskatchewan SPCA Introduction Established in 1928, the Saskatchewan SPCA is a registered charitable organization working to prevent animal cruelty. This is done through education and outreach Raise awareness of the human animal bond, promote the humane treatment of animals

Overview The Link: Interpersonal Violence and Abuse and Animal Safekeeping STOPS to Violence, PATHS and Saskatchewan SPCA, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Services, and the University of Regina Project grew out of another research project from Alberta SPCA-Cruelty Connection: The role of Animals in Decision Making by Domestic Violence Victims in Rural Alberta, released in 2012 Surveyed both human and animal service providers about their experience with individuals leaving abusive relationships who had concern for animal care and safekeeping

Findings 71% of individuals seeking refuge from domestic violence and entering a safe shelter reported that the perpetrator had abused a family pet. 96% of human service workers taking part in the study agreed that the care and safekeeping of animals can impact planning and decision making for individuals leaving abusive relationships. 78% of respondents from the human services sector indicated awareness of someone who did not leave an abusive relationship due to concern for the care and safekeeping of animals Saskatchewan Towards Offering Partnership Solutions (STOPS) to Violence & Saskatchewan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (2016). The Link: Interpersonal Violence and Abuse and Animal Safekeeping.

Human Animal Bond

Human animal bond Unconditional love and acceptance Petting an animal can reduce blood pressure, lowering stress Pets provide connections Increase serotonin and dopamine levels-calming properties

Human animal bond In Canada the pet industry was expected to reach to around $8.3 billion a year by 2018. 41% of Canadian homes have a dog, 38% of Canadian homes have a cat. Source: 2019 Canadian Animal Health Institute Over 80% percent of people view their pets as members of their family. Children are more likely to grow up in a home with a pet than a home with two parents. The healing touch of petting an animal or nuzzled in return establishes a soothing effect at a time of loneliness.

“the link”

“The link” When acts of violence occur in one of these areas it is usually not an isolated incident, these acts are “linked”

“The Link” “When animals are abused, people are at risk. When people are abused, animals are at risk” (Phil Arkow, 2013). Coordinator of the National Link Coalition Where animal abuse or neglect has occurred, other forms of violence are often present. Batterers who also abuse pets are more dangerous, more controlling and use more forms of violence than batterers who do not. (Simmons & Lehmann, 2007) The “Link” is an important concept as may be able to intervene earlier and possibly prevent more abuse from occurring.

Tip of the iceberg

Tip of the Iceberg “On New Year’s Day, two police officers in a major Canadian city responded to a call that an animal had been stabbed. The officers determined the animal urgently needed treatment and transported the puppy to a nearby veterinary hospital. Thanks to the expert training they received at the CFHS Canadian Violence Link Conference in December, they made the connection that a person in the home might be a victim of domestic violence. The officers investigated further and formed reasonable grounds that partner abuse had occurred. A suspect was subsequently charged with numerous Criminal Code offences – including two animal cruelty charges.

Stats Incidence of domestic violence in Canada, 313 incidents per 100,000 Saskatchewan rate of domestic violence is 682 per 100,000 double that of the national average. (Stats Can, 2017). On the snapshot day of April 18, 2018, a total of 3,565 women, 3,137 accompanying children, and 8 men were residing in residential facilities for reasons of abuse in Canada.

Women & Pets Women with strong bonds to pets had abusers use control tactics to threaten pets Pets helped women in recovery Women wanted to be asked about pets at intake Women felt a lack of control over the decision to leave their pet and wanted safe options for their pet Hardesty, Khaw, Ridgway, Weber & Miles (2013). Coercive Control and Abused Women’s Decisions about their Pets When Seeking Shelter. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 28 : 2617

What we know Individuals who witnessed animal cruelty were 8.14 times more likely to become a perpetrator Witnessing animal cruelty was the biggest predictor of later violence by the witness Witnessing animal cruelty with child abuse or exposure to domestic violence increases the risk of animal cruelty (DeGue & Delilo, is Animal Cruelty a Red Flag for Family Violence? Investigating Co-occurring Violence Toward Children, Partners and Pets, Journal of Interpersonal Violence 24(6). P. 1036- 1056)

“The Link” and Domestic Violence

Animal abuse and domestic violence Physical abuse-kicking, hitting, punching Emotional abuse-disappearing, giving away or killing her source of unconditional love Economic abuse-refusing her money for vet bills or basic needs for the pet Threats-to harm or kill threat if she tries to leave Isolation-refusing her to take the pet to the vet, or socialize the dog with other dogs

Why is this important?

“The Link” and Child Abuse 68% of battered women reported violence to their animals; 75% occurred in the presence of children. (Ascione, Weber, Thompson, Health, Maruyama & Hayashi (2007) 37.5% of children residing in a shelter had harmed or killed pets Damage children’s sense of safety and confidence in the ability of adults to protect them from harm. Damage the development of empathy. Lead to imitation of abusive behaviors.

Barriers to leaving an abusive relationship Children Finances Family Safety concerns Religion Legal issues Shame/embarrassment Pets

Pets as a Barrier The need to act as a buffer to soften the abuse treatment The knowledge that the threats against the animals would be (and had previously been) would be followed through on Up to 48% of families remain with the abuser due to shelters being unable or unwilling to accommodate pets. (Ascione, 2007) Out of 337 domestic violence shelters in Canada with publicly accessible websites, only 155 (46%) mention pets and 70% did not mention any options for off-site pet services. Currently out of more than 450 transition houses only 12 accept pets

What can we do? Asking questions about the presence and safety of animals in the home at intakes, client assessments, interviews. Do you have animals in the home? Are you concerned about their safety? Do you have a place to take them to keep them safe? Do you need our assistance in doing so? Creating a safety plan that includes pets

Safety planning Bringing the animal’s leash, collar, food/water bowl if possible Favorite toy, bedding Proof of ownership-vet bills, receipt for food Medication, if any A photo and an information sheet on food and feeding schedules, medical conditions, medications and schedules, likes and dislikes, and any possible behaviour problems to give to a temporary caretaker

What can we do? Laws that equally protect humans and animals better. Cross reporting (Vets mandatory reporting) Changing of attitudes “its just an animal” Advocate for legislation that allows including animals in no-contact orders, EIO’s and peace bonds.

What can we do? Working together (transition houses/animal welfare providers) New awareness “if he is hurting animals, is someone else being hurt”? Education around the “Link” which would allow earlier intervention Creating more animal safekeeping programs and/or transition houses that allow pets

What’s next? Collaborated to develop two new animal safekeeping programs in the province of Saskatchewan. And continuing … Working with a legal organization to provide education to lawyers, Crown prosecutors and judges about pet protection orders Early stages to begin working with transition homes to create Saskatchewan’s first ever pet friendly women’s shelter

Comments/questions

Jack the therapy dog