This review of Australian and international evidence reveals factoring pets into safety planning and better access to animal-inclusive crisis accommodation is critical to the safety of many victim-survivors and their children.

When there is violence against family animals in an intimate partner violence context, dogs and cats are the most targeted – but any family animal that the victim-survivor has a connection to can be at risk, including birds, fish and horses. Violence towards pets can include threats or actual physical or sexual abuse, verbal abuse or deliberate neglect.

This resource is designed to help practitioners better understand why perpetrators use violence against pets, how it impacts victim-survivors and how practitioners can support them.