October is Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness Month, a time to remember and spread awareness of the needs of the more than 12 million adults experience domestic violence (DV) in the U.S. annually.[1] It is also important to remember humans are not the only victims of DV: Pets are frequently abused as well.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, pet abuse is one of four predictors of DV. In both DV and child abuse situations, abusers may manipulate and control their human victims through threatened or actual violence against family pets. Researchers cite between 71 and 83%of women entering DV shelters reported their partners also abused or killed the family pet. Another study found that in families under supervision for physical abuse of their children, pet abuse was concurrent 88%of the time.[2]
Additionally, the emotional bonds with pets are intensified during a crisis, whether it is during a natural disaster or an episode of DV. As with natural disasters, people facing DV maybe unwilling to leave a pet behind, especially when they believe the pet will be harmed, abused or killed.[3]
This is especially true as according to the Pew Research Center, 97% of Americans consider their pet to be a part of their family and 51% consider a pet as much a part of their family as a human member. [4]
This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, help to spread the word: Together we can make sure all families (including their non-human members) can live free of abuse!
Citations
[1] National Domestic Violence Hotline. “Domestic Violence Statistics.” (2025).
[2] Humane Society of the United States. “Animal Cruelty and human violence FAQ.” (2021).
[3] Montgomery, J., Liang, Z., & Lloyd, J. (2024). A Scoping Review of Forced Separation Between People and Their Companion Animals. Anthrozoös, 37(2), 245–267.https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2023.2287315 f
[4] Pew Research Center. “About half of U.S. pet owners say their pets are as much a part of their family as a human member.” (2023).