Program protects pets of domestic violence victims

Name of Program: The Spokane County Intimate Partner Violence Foster Pet Program

Who runs it: Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium and SpokAnimal CARE.

What it does: Domestic violence victims can place one or more of their pets into a foster program for a period of 24 hours and up to two months when they leave an abusive situation. Domestic violence shelters rarely have a place for pets when victims leave a violent relationship.

How it works: Clients seeking foster placement for their pets must be working with a caseworker at a service agency in Spokane who has received, or works within an agency which has had staff training on the program.

Arrangements for foster care are made between the caseworker and SpokAnimal. The foster families caring for the pets, and the client needing placement, remain anonymous and aren’t given each other’s names.

Animals are accepted into the program only during shelter hours, which are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Typical client: Women and children leaving an IPV household and entering a shelter or temporary housing, which doesn’t allow pets.

“Animal abuse can be a barrier for victims as they seek safety and security from their perpetrator. Pets can be used by perpetrators to prevent a victim from leaving a relationship. Victims may stay in or return to a relationship out of fear for the well-being of the animal. Perpetrators use actual or threatened abuse of pets as a tool of manipulation against a victim in this manner.” (From the SCDVC Web site, www.domesticviolence.net/animal-cruelty-ipv.asp)

How to get help: For information on the program, please contact the SCDVC at 487-6783, or Gail Mackie, executive director of SpokAnimal at 534-8133, or you can e-mail scdvcmail@domesticviolence.net.

How to help: Contact SpokAnimal at 534-8133 to volunteer for their pet foster care program.