Summary
As members of the family, pets become victims (and occasionally perpetrators) of domestic violence. In attempts to gain power and control over victims, animals are threatened, abused, and even killed. Gaining compliance over victims is easy when the life of a beloved pet is held as ransom. In many cases, victims cannot bring animals with them to shelters and so have been hesitant to leave the abuser for fear of what he will do to the animals in retaliation.

As the link between animals abuse and domestic violence becomes more vivid, domestic violence shelters and animal shelters have begun to work together to ensure that all family members have safe refuge.