How is Pet Abuse related to Domestic Violence?
Pets are very often loved by their owners and it is not uncommon to hear then described as part of the family. In a domestic violence situation, the perpetrator can use the females attachment to the animal as a way to assert his dominance and power. By mistreating an animal the perpetrator is showing the woman that he can physically dominate things he perceives to be weaker then himself, but also he knows how the abuse of the pet will affect the woman. The abuse of the animal may take the form of physical abuse, abduction, neglect, or the withholding of essentials such as food and water. Pet abuse can also be verbal, for example, repeated threats to take the animals life, threats to release the animal into the wild.
