Pets used as pawn in domestic violence

Woman are delaying leaving violent relationships for fear their pets and other animals will be killed or tortured.

Evidence from a 2011 survey shows one in three women reported delaying leaving a violent relationship because they feared their partner would kill or torture their pets.
Of these, one quarter say their children also witnessed the violence against animals.

The research also showed that 50 per cent of women interviewed had witnessed animal cruelty as part of their experience of domestic violence. MORE>>