Addressing the Link Between Family Violence and Animal Cruelty

November 19, 2003. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. An innovative project is being launched today to raise awareness of the link between family violence and animal cruelty. The project is a joint initiative of BC agencies who provide services to victims of abuse. "Those who abuse family members frequently inflict violence on animals in the home as well," says Craig Naherniak, General Manager of Humane Education for the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Our goal is to increase awareness about the link and to promote more effective cross-reporting between law enforcement, animal care, and social service agencies in the province.

"Given the strong link between animal and family violence, it makes sense for those intervening to help victims of abuse around the province -- whether it be the police, victim services, or the SPCA -- to be vigilant for clues that other forms of violence may be occurring in the home," says Naherniak. "If we can set up cross-reporting systems where information is shared between front-line agencies, we believe we can intervene earlier and can more effectively prevent violence."

The Violence Link Project officially launches Nov. 19th with the first joint training workshop at the Justice Institute of BC. Participants from several BC agencies and organizations will gather to increase their knowledge about the link between family violence and animal abuse and to share information on identifying signs of abuse. A series of brochures on the violence link has also been produced for wide distribution by organizations helping victims of violence. "The three brochures are geared toward different audiences," explains Naherniak. "One is for animal care professionals, the second is for social service professionals, and the third is for victims of abuse, to encourage them to use the support services available to them."

Naherniak says abusers often draw animals into their cycle of violence to exert power and dominance over family members. "Threatening to harm the family pet is used as a way of silencing victims or to prevent them from leaving a violent situation," he says. "Torturing an animal can also be used as a way of showing the victim what could happen to them if they challenge the abuser's power." Abusers will sometimes kill a pet, adds Naherniak, simply to eliminate a source of comfort to the victim.

A study done by the SPCA in Ontario revealed that 61% of women leaving violent relationships had had their pets abused or killed by their partner. In the same study 48% of the women surveyed said they delayed leaving their partner because they could not take their pet and they feared for the animal's safety.

Intentional abuse of animals by children is of particular concern. Understanding the motives of the abuse is key to recognizing when intervention may be necessary. "Just as we recognize the negative consequences of bullying behaviour, we should not tolerate the indiscriminate abuse of animals by children," says Naherniak. "Abuse of animals without remorse is an indicator there may be more serious issues at play with that child, but intervention at any time a child is hurting an animal is an opportunity to expand the development of empathy."

The BC SPCA hopes that the increased public awareness, as well as more effective sharing of information between agencies, will be a major step forward in reducing the incidents of family violence and animal cruelty in BC. For more information about the project, please visit the BC SPCA website at www.spca.bc.ca/link.

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Further information:
Lorie Chortyk, Community Relations Manager, BC SPCA:
(604) 647-1316, 1-800-665-1868, or 830-7179 (cell).
Craig Naherniak, General Manager, Humane Education, BC SPCA: (604) 647-1320, 1-800-665-1868.