Support the Safe House for Pets program

The Safe House for Pets Program has been created by Second Chance Animal Rescue Inc. (SCAR) to provide temporary care for the pets of victims of domestic and family violence, a cause that needs our help more than ever.

The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) reported that 1 in 10 women have experienced domestic and family violence during the Covid Pandemic. 33 percent of the 15,000 women surveyed reported it was the first time their partner had shown violence towards them.

How pets are used against victims of domestic violence

An often-unreported statistic on domestic violence is that a third of pet owners delay leaving a violent home for fear for their pets’ lives. Multiple studies have shown that domestic abusers often seek to manipulate their victims by threatening or harming pets.

With 3 in every 5 households owning a pet, the gravity of this major social issue is clear and is further exacerbated by the fact that only 3% of domestic violence shelters across the country accept pets.  This causes owners and their pets, that have already endured significant hardship, further anguish.

This makes the Safe House for Pets Program more important than ever to help assist those escaping harmful and violent situations, by providing care for their animals while their owners seek safe refuge. Once they have secured permanent safe housing they are then reunited with their pets, which brings both the pet and owner the greatest of joy.

Your help is needed

While some of our amazing sponsors of Pooches at Play support SCAR’s work, including Vitapet and PETstock’s charity foundation, PETstock Assist, SCAR needs our support to help them carry out this important work during these tough times and so that they can try to keep up with the demand,

According to SCAR Founder and CEO, Marisa Debattista, ‘we are receiving calls daily asking for our help and we try to never turn away a pet owner in need.  However, the pandemic has put a strain on our funding and services which sees us struggling every day to make ends meet.’

In addition to the Safe House for Pets Program, the SCAR Animal Shelter and Animal Hospital facility in Craigieburn rescues animals due to be euthanised from other pounds and shelters, and offers them a second chance at finding their forever homes. They also offer affordable veterinary care and free pet food and medical care to the pets of people struggling financially.

To support Second Chance and the Safe House for Pets Program, to help the most vulnerable in society and their pets, you can make a tax-deductible donation at secondchanceanimarescue.com.au

About the Author: Lara Shannon is a certified dog behaviourist and trainer, Executive Producer and Host of Pooches at Play on Channel 10 and editor of Poochesatplay.com. Lara runs her own dog training business in Melbourne’s Bayside area, is a sought after pet expert speaker and Author of Eat, Play, Love (your dog) and World of Dogs.