Why does Noah’s Rest serve?
Pets are family too.
When a family is caught in the cycle of abuse, it is not only the human members of the family who are affected.
The family pet is often overlooked.
When Noah’s Rest opened its doors in 2015, its vision was to provide shelter to any type of pet belonging to a domestic violence victim who had made the decision to leave an abusive situation. Many times the family pet is what keeps victims trapped in a dangerous relationship because they fear what will happen to their pet if it is left behind.
When this journey began, Noah’s Rest could not have imagined the extent of the need, but it quickly became apparent that the services Noah’s Rest offers are a vital resource to the community, even today.
The statistics show that the work is necessary.
A study found that 87% of animal abuse perpetrated by a domestic violence abuser is committed in the presence of family members for the purpose of revenge or control.
71% of pet owners entering domestic violence shelters report that their abusers had threatened, injured, or killed family pets.
Up to 40% of domestic violence victims are unable to escape their abusers because they are concerned about what will happen to their pets when they leave.
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence