Domestic Violence and Animal Cruelty

Abstract

A growing body of research indicates that batterers often threaten, hurt, or kill family pets as a means of coercing and controlling their female partners and that women sometimes delay seeking shelter out of concern for the welfare of their pets. This article reviews the research on the link between animal abuse and domestic violence, describes the implications of this research for social work practice, and offers suggestions and resources for integrating this content into all aspects of the social work curriculum.