Domestic abuse is one of the most terrifying and traumatic events a person can experience. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in the United States alone, 20 people per minute are abused by an intimate partner.
Leaving an abusive relationship can be challenging for many reasons. The abused may not have the financial means to leave or may simply not have anywhere else to go.
Many domestic violence shelters also do not allow pets— a fact which creates additional obstacles for abused animal owners.
According to the Rose Brooks Center, 71% of abused women have reported that their abuser also injured, maimed, killed, or threatened their pet. In these particular situations, another 41% claim that they could not leave their abusive situation because they were fearful of what would happen to their animals.
In a video uploaded to YouTube, one female pet-owner describes her shocking tale of abuse.
And, although it is tragic, this woman’s story was the push that encouraged the Rose Brooks Center to become the very first American domestic violence shelter to accept pets.
In the video, the woman begins by talking about the happy times in her relationship before things turned violent. She then turns the subject to her abuse, saying:
“I was never ugly. I was never a horrible person. But I have been told that I attacked his ego because I told him I would not purposely choose to have a child by him… And I went through a wall. I literally went through a wall.”
Seeing the attack, the woman’s Great Dane, J. Matthews, approaches her, an act which enrages her abuser. He kicks the animal in the hips.
She describes how the dog attacks the man before returning and laying on top of her body in an attempt to protect her. The abuser grabs J. Matthews by his collar, pulling the dog outside and throwing him off of their porch. He then drags him a block away, to a busy street, launching him into traffic.
In the video, the woman describes the horrific event, saying:
“As I was coming around the corner, he drug [J. Matthews] from our house a block, to a very busy street and let him go in the middle of the street while cars were coming. And he said if I reached for him or called for him, he would shoot him where he stood. I knew that I had to go.”
The woman ultimately manages to escape, despite having a gun held to her head. She is brought to a domestic violence shelter by police but faces a dilemma. She explains:
“Unfortunately when a woman goes to a shelter, they do not take pets. I could not let this happen, this animal that just saved my life.”
As mentioned, this woman’s heartbreaking story was the reason the Rose Brooks Center became the very first American domestic violence shelter to accept pets. J. Matthew’s courage and loyalty had ultimately saved this woman’s life, and it would not be fair to make him suffer as a result.
Thanks to him, other abused pets will also get the same opportunity.
Nowadays, the center’s pet shelter has grown, boasting premium kennels for dogs, cats, and other animals, 24/7 access to pets by owners, and large spaces for the animals to run and play.
Since their change of policies in 2012, they’ve also inspired numerous other domestic violence shelters to begin accepting pets, as well.
Be sure to listen to the woman’s heartbreaking story in the video below.
And please remember that if you or someone you know is being abused, there are resources available to help.
