WOMEN suffering domestic violence are scared to leave their abusive partners for fear of what they will do to their pets, research has revealed.
Those working with victims of abuse have previously told of anecdotal stories from abused women who could not take their pets into cash-strapped refuges.
Last night, the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said it
had dealt with cases where an animal had been beaten, hanged, or even set on fire for revenge.
Dr Ann Fitzgerald, who led the study, said nearly half the women she interviewed said their relationship with their pets may have prolonged the abuse they suffered.
Dr Fitzgerald concluded that women's shelters must start to accept pets so women do not feel they have to choose between their safety or their animals.
"If we're serious about wanting women to feel comfortable leaving their abusive partners and feel that they can protect their children, we need to remove as many barriers as possible," she said.
Her study "They Gave Me a Reason to Live: The Protective Effects of Companion Animals on the Suicidality of Abused Women", published in the journal Humanity and Science, found animals can both help women and lead them to endanger themselves.
Dr Fitzgerald of Windsor University in Ontario, said: "For some abused women, their pets provide them with the support they need to cope with the abuse, which may result in their staying with their partner longer than they think they otherwise would have."
Of the 26 women interviewed over an eight-month period, three said their pets stopped them taking their own lives, while 44 per cent admitted they delayed leaving home because of their pets.
Some women interviewed admitted sneaking out of the shelter to go home and check on their animals – putting themselves in danger.
A spokeswoman for Scottish Women's Aid said: "There's long been anecdotal evidence in Scotland of women not wanting to leave their pets behind with an abusive partner.
"It can be a case of a woman being told, 'If you leave, I'll kill the cat or dog' and it (is] a very real threat. Sometimes the children don't want to leave the pet.
"Pets are very important to women and children experiencing domestic violence and they can have very real difficulties when they can't take them.
"But in terms of refuge, our providing accommodation is not a priority."
The spokeswoman added that Scotland's 46 refuges were free to operate as they chose, but she knew of only one refuge which allowed women to bring their pets.
Temporary accommodation which was generally shared also created practical difficulties for other women at a time of high stress.
A number of animal welfare organisations have recognised the problem and can sometimes find a volunteer to look after the pet.
Muriel Sinclair, Edinburgh organiser of the Pet Fostering Service Scotland, said: "Women's Aid will phone us and if we have a volunteer who is free then we can look after the animal. But the problem is that we don't have enough volunteers."
Chief superintendent Mike Flynn of the Scottish SPCA said: "The Scottish SPCA firmly believes there is a link between abuse of animals and domestic violence as there is a great deal of evidence to support this theory.
"Society inspectors carry out routine animal welfare investigations every day and sadly many know of cases where animals have been used in a variety of ways to exacerbate or trap people into violent or abusive situations.
"The society has investigated cases where an animal has been threatened with harm if a woman leaves her violent partner or if a child speaks out against their abuser."
'I knew my husband would starve the dog'"JULIE" left her violent husband after eventually persuading a relative who lived 50 miles away to care for her dog while she was in temporary accommodation.
The 38-year-old from Falkirk who has an eight-year-old son said she would have left home sooner but believed her husband would have killed or abandoned the family pet.
"Things between my husband and I would improve and then deteriorate. It was during one of the good times that I decided to get a puppy for our son's third birthday,'' she said.
"But my husband started blaming the dog for things which got knocked over and spilled when he was nowhere around. He started hitting him with a stick which was terrifying. He would also give him sly kicks. Alarm bells were going off in my head.
"The dog knew when I was upset and would come and stand in front of me to 'guard' me which enraged my husband all the more.
"I wanted to leave but it was a big upheaval to leave everything behind and make my son change schools. Also, I just knew my husband would take it out on the dog for spite.
"I kind of knew my husband would kick or starve the dog to death. I begged my aunt to take the dog until she gave in."
The full article contains 865 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
