spcaLA President provides insight to commonality of domestic violence and animal welfare

Los Angeles, CA — Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) President, Madeline Bernstein will join the panel discussion, No Pet Left Behind: Intersection of Domestic Violence and Animal Welfare on December 10th. The panel is presented by Global Rights for Women as a part of the Valiant Voices series. The panel is on Tuesday, December 10th at 10am PST. Register at the Global Rights for Women website to participate by Zoom. A recording will be made available after the event.

Domestic violence and animal cruelty are deeply interconnected. Those who abuse animals are five times more likely to engage in domestic violence, child abuse, and other forms of violent behavior. 48% of survivors report that they would not leave an abusive relationship if it meant leaving their pet behind. Abusers often exploit this vulnerability, with 89% of survivors revealing that their partners threatened, harmed, or killed their pets to further exert control and intimidation.

In 1998, spcaLA created the first-of-its-kind program specifically addressing these facts. The Animal Safety Net (ASN)™ provides temporary housing for pets with the goal of reuniting people with their pets once they receive the help they need. In 2020, the program was expanded to include people or families who are entering homeless, substance abuse, or mental health shelters/treatment facilities. Over the years, ASN has helped hundreds of people and pets stay together.

The panel, moderated by the Executive Director of Global Rights for Women, Patricia Cumbie, will bring together advocates of animal welfare and anti-gender-based violence to discuss pet-friendly policies and laws that can liberate survivors from domestic violence.

Join us for this vital discussion on how barriers to safety for both human and animal violence survivors can be eliminated.