Police More Likely to Make Domestic Violence Arrests When Pets Are Also Abused

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. households have at least one pet, and almost all see their pet as a family member.

Unfortunately, in homes where violence occurs, pets can also be victims of this harm.

The link with intimate partner violence, which is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as abuse or aggression by a current or former spouse or dating partner, extends this connection. Animal cruelty is not only a recognized factor that predicts harming an intimate partner, but it can be used to perpetrate this violence.

Animal cruelty is weaponized when an intimate partner threatens to harm, or actually harms, a pet to control their partner. This tactic is powerful. Victims of intimate partner violence regularly cite fear for the safety of their pet as a primary reason they do not leave an abusive situation.

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