This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: New research from James Cook University has found that women experiencing domestic violence are often forced to choose between their own safety and the safety of their pets, with limited pet-inclusive crisis support contributing to additional trauma and distress. Published in the Journal of Family Violence, the study explored the experiences of professionals working across domestic violence, homelessness, legal and animal welfare sectors throughout Australia.
Jasmine Montgomery said the findings highlight the need for a more coordinated response and for domestic violence services to proactively address the needs of victim-survivors' pets. "Women should not have to choose between escaping violence and protecting their pets," Montgomery said. "Our study found that victim-survivors accessing crisis services are often forced to separate from their pets during domestic violence.
"The potential impacts of forced separation from pets can result in victim-survivors experiencing isolation and poverty, disempowerment, homelessness, grief, loss and trauma." "What became clear is that the crisis does not necessarily end once a victim-survivor leaves the violence. Without access to pet-inclusive transitional and long-term support, many face a secondary crisis months later, often resulting in further mental health distress, homelessness, financial hardship and a return to crisis support services." The study proposes a nationally standardized, integrated framework to better support the safety and well-being of both victim-survivors and their pets. "Our findings highlight the need for more coordinated, pet-inclusive approaches across domestic violence, housing, legal and animal welfare services," Montgomery said.
"Pet-inclusive short-, medium- and long-term accommodation is required to reduce the barriers to victim-survivors fleeing domestic violence. "There needs to be more cross-sector collaboration and coordinated case management in situations where both domestic violence support and animal welfare services need to be provided to a victim-survivor." The study also identified animal-based coercive control, including threats or harm toward pets, as a significant factor influencing decisions to delay leaving abusive relationships. "During the study, we found that the lack of pet-inclusive crisis responses for domestic violence resulted in victim-survivors deciding not to leave a perpetrator or returning to them," Montgomery said.
Jasmine Montgomery et al, When Safety Requires Separation: The Consequences of Inadequate Pet-Inclusive Crisis Support for Women and Pets Fleeing Domestic Violence, Journal of Family Violence (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s10896-026-01170-6 Swati Mestri holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space.
Full profile → Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
