Pets a Major Barrier for Domestic Violence Victims Seeking Safety

Olivia knew she was not safe when her former partner's threats began to escalate, but held off going into a refuge until she had somewhere for her dog to stay.

Had there been nowhere for Rusty, she probably never would have left her abusive former partner, she said.

"I didn't want to tell police in case they moved me into a refuge straight away … I didn't want to leave Rusty behind," Olivia, whose real name has been withheld to protect her safety, said.

Olivia, who is in her mid 50s, was living in regional New South Wales when the abuse happened.

They did not share a home, but she believes she was in danger as long as her former partner knew where she lived.

She fled with just the clothes she had on and left Rusty behind.

For weeks she moved between hotels, afraid her former partner would track her down.

She went back to her house, but only after dark.

"I would go back to my house at 2 o'clock in the morning to feed Rusty but it was getting to a point where I knew it was unsafe," she said.

"It wasn't a risk where he might just turn up and yell at me, there was a risk he could turn up and do something quite terrible."

Safe home by Christmas

Two days before Christmas, she found the RSPCA NSW Domestic and Family Violence Program, which cares for people's animals when they are in crisis.

"I cried the whole way to the RSPCA and the whole way home, just out of relief."

By Christmas Eve, Olivia was in a safe house.

"I was in a refuge with a woman who stayed longer because of her dogs and in that time, she went through horrific things," she said.

'Big barrier' to leaving

In Queensland last year, the RSPCA's Pets in Crisis supported 112 people and 170 animals.

"Most emergency boarding for humans don't allow pets, so that's a pretty big barrier to leaving a domestic violence situation", RSPCA Queensland's Courtney Cameron said.

"Having Pets in Crisis means there is an option and they don't have to stay and be in danger or leave their family member behind."

Recent law changes around pet ownership have made it easier for the RSPCA to help victim-survivors with animals, Ms Cameron said.

The federal Family Law Amendment Act 2024, which came into effect 12 months ago, means a court will now consider who walks the dog, feeds it, takes it to the vet, or pays for medical expenses.

Family violence and cruelty towards a companion animal are also factored in.

Before the changes, courts only considered who had paid for or microchipped the animal.

The laws have already helped a Queensland woman accused of stealing her dog when she left her abusive partner, because he had paid for it, Ms Cameron said.

"She was being investigated by the Queensland Police Service [QPS], and her former partner was trying to manipulate her into coming back [so he could] maintain control."

"We were able to work with QPS to provide evidence on her behalf to prove she was the owner and dispute the claims that the dog was stolen," she said.

Historically, the dog would have likely gone back to the abuser, according to Ms Cameron.

"The changes to the federal law came in around the same time as Queensland's coercive control legislation, so the two important pieces of law now support each other."

In a survey of women who used its Domestic and Family Violence Program in NSW, the RSPCA found more than half had delayed leaving an abusive partner out of concern for their pets — most for more than six months.

In the past 12 months, programs in NSW, the ACT and Western Australia have helped a record number of pets and owners.

Molly Dragiewicz, professor of criminology and criminal justice at Griffith University, said conversations around coercive control had helped make people aware of non-physical types of abuse, which can include violence and threats against pets.

"One key aspect of domestic violence that is under-recognised, is that the abuse extends beyond the direct adult victim to other family members, friends, and support networks including pets," she said.

"Domestic violence services have long been aware of this issue, but the legal changes can help bring that into the public awareness."

'I still had him'

The RSPCA wants more pet-inclusive domestic violence shelters so victim-survivors can keep their animals with them.

After two months, Olivia and Rusty were reunited. Their new house is on a 725-square metre block and life "has changed completely".

"We have gone from the ground up; from nothing, to building it up," she said.

"I lost furniture, photos and everything else, but I still had him."