" This project will develop options for families and pets while they are in transition that will address this barrier. As well, the project will increase awareness about the links between violence in the home and violence to animals, and the potential to use detection of animal cruelty as an indicator of family violence."

As I read this post I learned that the Violence Link Project was new in 2003. I have seen since then, in fact recently, statements by victims of violence, who attempted to access this SPCA offer of protection for family pets, only to find that it was not available.

One of the more common reasons for the failure of any program to get off the planning table and up and running is the fact that the statement of purpose is too broad, making a place to start difficult to identify. The program will have a much better chance of growing and succeeding if it is brought forward in small, manageable steps, with additional components being added in equally small stages along the way.

My suggestion would be to begin by working on the development of the aspect of this project which is referred to in the first sentence of the statement I have quoted. The program should restrict itself to that initial component until that part of the service to victims of violence is running smoothly and successfully. Even before it is time to move ahead to the awareness and education component, the very fact that the service has been provided, will have spilled over naturally into the awareness of more people than the victims themselves.

The third stage or component of the Violence Link as quoted "and the potential to use detection of animal cruelty as an indicator of family violence", is somewhat unclear to me. I believe that this stage of the project needs to be broken down into very specific and sequential actions, encompassing the work of the agencies involved. I see this initially as more of a study through compilation of records of incidents with strong identifiable evidence that incident by incident, both cruelty toward family pets and violence toward family members in fact occurred in direct relationship to each other.

We know that in general there is a relationship. What I believe is lacking in our individual communities, is the meticulous and specific documentation and record keeping which is necessary to support the premise, thereby providing a framework from which the agencies involved could create a plan of action which would be initiated by any of the agencies involved when animal cruelty and\or family violence occurred. I believe that these goals are admirable, worthwhile and achievable, yet not without growing pains as agencies begin to enter each other's territories, working toward the common goal of providing protection, education and action which will become available and consistent interventions.

These interventions will facilitate reporting, protection, education and change in regard to a serious issue which exists in every community throughout our province.

If, as it seems at the moment, that an organzied program is not successfully in place, I believe that each and every one of us has a moral responsibility to step forward and offer assistance in any way we can, to make the goals of the Violence Link Project a reality. No one can argue, with Transition Houses and Victim Services stretched beyond their limits, that the need is not there and that victims are not pleading for resources which will increase options available to keep all members of their families safe.