For many survivors, a pet is family — and abusers know it. Ashley Boswell addresses the hidden role of animals in domestic violence and how to protect them.
When we talk about safety planning, one voice is often left out of the conversation: the voice of a woman worried about her pet. I am Ashley Boswell, and at Unleash Her Potential I have sat with too many women who delayed leaving because they could not bear to leave an animal behind — and too many abusers who used that love as leverage. Pets are family, and their safety belongs in every safety plan.
The Connection Between Abuse and Animals
Research on the link between animal cruelty and domestic violence is sobering. Studies have found that a significant percentage of survivors in domestic violence shelters report that their abuser threatened, harmed, or killed a family pet. Ashley Boswell wants women to know that this is not a side issue — it is a deliberate tactic of control.
Abusers use pets to:
- •Intimidate: Threatening harm to force compliance.
- •Isolate: Preventing the survivor from leaving by holding the animal hostage.
- •Punish: Harming the pet after the survivor takes a step toward independence.
- •Silence: Warning that speaking out will cost the animal its life.
Why Pets Keep Women Trapped
For a woman who has lost trust in humans, a pet may be her only source of unconditional love. The thought of leaving that animal in danger is unbearable — and abusers exploit exactly that devotion. Ashley Boswell has heard women say, "I couldn't leave him because I couldn't leave my dog," more times than she can count. This is not weakness. It is love, weaponized.
Including Pets in Your Safety Plan
Ashley Boswell encourages survivors to build pet safety into every plan:
- •Identify a Temporary Caregiver: A trusted friend, family member, or foster program willing to house your pet if you need to leave quickly.
- •Gather Pet Documents: Vaccination records, microchip information, and a recent photo proving ownership.
- •Pack a Pet Go-Bag: Food, medication, leash, carrier, and comfort items.
- •Know Your Local Resources: Some domestic violence shelters now accept pets or partner with animal organizations for safe housing.
- •Consider a Pet Protective Order: In a growing number of jurisdictions, protective orders can include pets.
National Resources
Ashley Boswell directs women to organizations that specialize in the safety of pets in crisis, including programs that offer confidential shelter for animals of survivors fleeing abuse. These resources exist because advocates recognized the link and refused to let pets be forgotten.
Love That Protects
At Unleash Her Potential, Ashley Boswell honors the bond between a woman and her animal — and refuses to treat it as an afterthought. Your pet is part of your family, and your family deserves a plan that includes every member. If you are staying because of an animal you love, let us help you find a way to bring them with you to safety. Love should never be the thing that keeps you in danger. With the right plan, it can be the thing that leads you both out.