A new study is underway to look deeper into the connections between animal abuse and domestic violence to assess the need for better services to protect both human and animal victims in Australia. “Around 70 percent of women escaping violent homes also report pet abuse,” said Lydia Tong, DVM, of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Veterinary Science. “So vets are often the first to see evidence of abuse in a family, when they treat injured pets.” Dr. Tong is conducting the study with Domestic Violence NSW, an organization that offers domestic and family violence services in New South Wales, Australia. “Different forces on bones can tell a story—the skeleton of an animal keeps a distinct record that indicates the force applied to bones from past injuries, breaks or fractures,” Tong said. “But it can often be difficult for vets to say with confidence whether a fracture has resulted from abuse or accident.” In a previous study, Tong collected cases of abused dogs that were punched, hit with a blunt weapon or kicked, and examined the fractures from these injuries. She then compared these fractures to those caused by genuine accidents. Her results, published in The Veterinary Journal, identified five key features of fractures that vets could look for to distinguish accidents from abuse. Tong and her colleagues are now gathering more information on the connections between domestic and animal abuse. “We already know that many women will delay seeking shelter if their pets are threatened or can’t be housed along with them,” Tong said. “U.S. studies also tell us that domestic violence perpetrators who also abuse pets are more dangerous—they have increased rates of physical and sexual violence and stalking, and are more likely to kill their partners. “We need to know more about the relationship between animal and human abuse in Australia so that we can recognize abuse earlier, save lives and provide appropriate services for victims and for their pets.” The study will survey victims of domestic violence who are also pet owners. “Perpetrators of violence will often threaten to abuse or harm family pets as a way to exert control,” said Moo Baulch, chief executive officer of Domestic Violence NSW. “This research is essential because we need to have a much clearer picture of the connections between domestic and family violence and the abuse of animals. “Building a solid evidence base in this area will assist policymakers, domestic and family violence services and people working with animals to better respond to the needs of women and children with pets who are experience violence and are afraid to leave.”
