Worrying figures released by Dogs Trust show that, over the last five years, there has been a 140% increase in dogs being referred through its specialist pet fostering service, Freedom.
Data released at the start of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence show that Freedom has received 2303 referrals so far this year, compared to 955 in the whole of 2019, a sobering statistic which demonstrates just how vital the service is as the charity continues to experience growing demand year on year.
Dogs Trust launched Freedom 20 years ago to support pets and their owners fleeing domestic abuse. Often, refuges are unable to house pets, meaning survivors are forced to choose between their pets or fleeing to safety. Further to this, pets are often abused and, in some cases, killed by the perpetrator of domestic abuse in order to control and coerce their victim. A Dogs Trust survey of professionals working in the domestic abuse sector revealed that 97% of them had supported someone whose pet had been used to control or coerce them.
Dogs Trust’s Freedom runs alongside Lifeline, managed by Cats Protection. Both organisations launched in partnership in 2004 due to emerging research at the time highlighting the link between domestic abuse and animal abuse, combined with the majority of refuges being unable to accept pets. Since the services launched two decades ago, they have supported thousands of survivors to get to safety knowing their beloved pet would be safe too. Dogs Trust Freedom and Cats Protection Lifeline are members of the Links Pet Fostering group, alongside Endeavour and Refuge for Pets.
These vital services can only be offered thanks to the incredible support of the fostering volunteers who open their homes and hearts to pets who are at risk. Dogs Trust is now calling for more volunteers to come forward across the UK to open their homes to pets in need after experiencing an increase in demand for its services. All volunteers are fully supported by the charity which will provide everything the pet will need throughout their stay, including organising photos and updates for the pet’s owner on how their pet is doing, ensuring that they still feel connected despite their short time apart.
Confidentiality is key for these services and no foster carer details are shared with the pet’s owner, and vice-versa. All the costs involved in caring for the animals are covered, so volunteer foster carers get to experience all of the benefits of having a pet in their home with none of the financial implications.
Annika (name changed) is one of the people supported by Dogs Trust’s Freedom scheme.
“Both me and Jake were suffering domestic abuse on a daily basis. The level of violence was extreme; it was physical to the point that I was punched and kicked but also, he was controlling and would emotionally abuse me.
“I’d had Jake from just a few months old and he was like my baby, he’d follow me everywhere. After a while my perpetrator realised that if he couldn’t get to me, he would harm Jake. Jake was also punched, had wood broken over his head, he’d get picked up and thrown against cupboards.
“There were times when I tried to leave but this would be when the levels of physical violence would escalate and end really badly for me. I knew that if I left without Jake, it would end very badly for him too. He made threats to say that if I ever left that he would kill Jake or let him roam out on the streets.
“I contacted a domestic violence helpline and I was given a safeguarding social worker, so both my care co-ordinator and social worker wanted me to leave straight away, but I couldn’t without Jake. I wasn’t going to leave without him. This was when the social worker told me about Freedom.
“I want to say a massive thank you to the volunteers who make this service possible. It’s fantastic what they do, it enabled me and Jake to leave a really awful situation and if they weren’t there, I don’t know what I would have done.”
Laura Saunders, Freedom Manager at Dogs Trust, said: “We’ve seen first-hand the ways that perpetrators use dogs to coerce, control, physically harm and threaten as a tool to maintain power and control over their victim. This is incredibly frightening for survivors and is aimed at leaving people isolated.
“We have heard of perpetrators not letting survivors walk their dogs alone, stopping them from accessing vet care for their dogs, or being able to spend money on dog food and even repeatedly threatening to harm, or kill their dogs.
“By offering this service, we are able to support survivors to access safe accommodation with the reassurance that their dog will be taken care of until they can be reunited.
“We are busier than ever and now need more volunteers to open up their hearts and homes and provide temporary foster care so that more people can flee domestic abuse, knowing their much- loved pets will be looked after until they are safely settled.”
