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etsCouncil to Homeless PersonsInterim CEO: Natalie SavinManager Policy & Communications

Unit: Sarah KahnMedia & Communications: TBAParity Editor: Noel MurrayPolicy Officer: TBAHomelessness Advocacy Service:

Manager: Annie PaliwalAdvocate: Angela KyriakopoulosPESP Team Leader: CassandraBawden

Administration Officer: Anne CabriéOffice Manager: Kathy StuttardActing Sector Accreditation Project

Officer: Karen SherryAddress: 2 Stanley St, Collingwood,

Melbourne 3066Phone: (03) 9419 8699Fax: (03) 9419 7445E-mail: parity@chp.org.au

Promotion of Conferences,Events and PublicationsOrganisations are invited to have theirpromotional fliers included in the monthlymailout of Parity.Rates: $90.00 National distribution, $70.00 Statewide distribution only.

Write for Parity!Contributions to Parity are welcome. Eachissue of Parity has a central focus or theme.However, prospective contributors should notfeel restricted by this as Parity seeks to discussthe whole range of issues connected withhomelessness and the provision of housingand services to people who are homeless. Ifpossible, the length of contributions shouldbe no greater than 1000 words. Please consultthe Parity editor if this is insufficient.Where necessary, contributions will beedited. Where possible this will be done inconsultation with the contributor.

CHP Web Sitewww.chp.org.au

Parity Web Sitewww.chp.org.au/parityContributions can be sent by e-mail toparity@chp.org.au or sent on disk in aMicrosoft Word or rtf format to: Council to Homeless Persons, 2 Stanley St, Collingwood VIC 3066If neither of these two options is possible,contributions can be faxed on(03) 9419 7445 or mailed to the aboveaddress.Website design and maintenance proudlydonated by Infoxchange Australia

2011 ParityPublications ScheduleNB: Please note that this may be subject to change.

June: Preventing ElderlyHomelessness

July: Centrelink andHomelessness

August: Evaluating HomelessnessPrograms

September:Responding to the NationalPlan to Reduce ViolenceAgainst Women and theirFamilies

October: Homelessness Research November: Responding to

Homelessness in Tasmania

ArtworkThe cover artwork for this edition was kindlyprovided by Pets of the Homeless in theUnited States, www.petsofthehomeless.org

Other images were provided by LeopardSkin Pill Box Hat and Campbells CreekSecond Hand Bookstore.

The views and opinions expressed inParity are not necessarily those of CHP.

Contents Editorial 3Homelessness Australia — May 2011 Update 4By Nicole Lawder, Chief Executive Officer

How You Can Help the RSPCA 4

IntroductionPets and Companion Animals: 5Why This is an Important IssueDr Rose Searby

Chapter 1: What Works?Much More than Cats and Dogs 7By Michael Linke, CEO, RSPCA ACT

People, Pets and Public Housing 9By Jennie Churchill

The Unique Bond 10By Jennifer Davis, Executive Manager Marketing, RSPCA Victoria.

The Importance of Pets in Times of Hardship 11By Debra Boland, Marketing and Communications, Animal Aid

Lort Smith Animal Hospital’s 12Emergency Welfare Assistance ProgramBy Melissa Hughes, Marketing and Fundraising Assistant, Lort Smith Animal Hospital

Pets Out West: Housing Rough Sleeping Pets 13in Western SydneyBy Stephanie Brennan, Manager, Community Services, Wentworth Community Housing

Ferreting Out a Solution: Jane’s Story 15One Department of Human Services

— Achieving Great Client OutcomesBy Kirsty Carter, Manager, Service Integration and Sarah Acreman and Rebekah Woods, Service Integration Officers, Service Integration, Client Outcomes, North and West Metropolitan Region, Department of Human Services, Victoria

Pets of the Homeless: USA 17By Genevieve Frederick, Executive Director/Founder, Pets of the Homeless

Chapter 2: Pets, Women, Families and Domestic ViolencePets in Peril: Making the Connection 18Between Domestic Violence and Animal CrueltyBy Judy Johnson OAM, Former Manager, Eastern Domestic Violence Service

Safe Beds for Pets: 20The Forgotten Fallout from Domestic ViolenceBy Karen Thorne, RSPCA NSW and Jennie Churchill, Australian Common Ground Alliance (and veterinarian)

We Made it Home 22The betrayed, traumatised look in their eyes is finally goneBy Aileen Solowiej, Communications Officer, Homelessness Australia

Family Violence: What About Pets? 24By Lisa Sandy, Support Worker, Family Violence Outreach Program, Salvation Army Crisis Services

Sheltering Animals and Families 25Together (SAF-T) ProgramBy Allie Phillips, J.D.

Chapter 3: Older People, Homelessness and PetsTails of Friendship: Companion Animals and Wintringham 27By Daniel Gray, Recreation Manager, Wintringham

Chapter 4: Interview(s)Faithful Friends Are Family 30Interviews by Allan Martin, Peer Education Support Program Graduate

OpinionFelicity Reynolds 32CEO Mercy Foundation

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EDITORIALEditorialOver the last few months, the ABS review

of Counting the Homeless (CTH) hasbeen a constant reminder of how important‘the numbers’ are. Data on homelessnessprovides evidence, proves solutions andguides policy makers.

But what happens i f you don’t havefaith in the data? Well then you don’tbelieve in the evidence, the solutions orthe policy decisions. This has seriousimplications for how Governments investin ending homelessness.

For these reasons, there was an outcry fromthe sector when the ABS released a newmethodology for measuring homelessnessin their discussion paper. It outlined pagesof technical revisions that left us with a slewof questions and feeling deeply concernedabout the new ‘headl ine’ figure thatsignificantly revised homeless numbersdown.

In essence, the sector lost faith in the data.As a result we came together around acommon goal — to get an accurate countof homelessness. Not to supportone methodology over anothermethodology but to provide input intothe process and to try to regainconfidence in the numbers.

CHP acknowledges the var iousc h a l l e n g e s i n m e a s u r i n ghomelessness. The Census is aninherently difficult tool to use becauseit does not ask a direct question about‘homelessness’. Therefore estimatesare derived from assumptions madeabout the other data in the Census.The very nature of the homelessnesse x p e r i e n c e c a n a l s o l e a d t oundercounting, particularly amongpeople sleeping outside or on afriend’s couch, or among familiesfleeing violence.

Despite these difficulties, the Censusis one of the few tools we have and ChrisChamber la in and Dav id MacKenz iedelivered new and innovative ways to usethe Census to measure homelessness inCTH.

CHP has remained committed to workingon the issues in relation to this matter.On May 24 th we pa r t i c i pa ted i n aworkshop hosted by the ABS to provideinput i n to the rev iew. The sess ionprovided a further opportunity to expressconcerns and seek clarification on theproposed methodology.

The group discussed challenges in usingthe Census data, as well as solutions toundercounts among specific groups,including young people and Indigenouspeople. Overall the workshop was veryproductive. The ABS shared many of ourconcerns and agreed to consider:

• Developing a homelessnessreference group to impact future

data collections;

• Undertaking a quality study to bettercount young people, and

• Extending the review to providefurther consultation with all keystakeholders.

This is a large step forward toward achievinga good result.

In conclusion, we would like to encourageyou all to participate in this review. Youcan do so by sending comments to us orwriting your own submission.

CHP is also aware of the diverse range ofviews our members hold in relation to thisissue and that some services are feelingdiscouraged from participating in theAugust Census count. We will host a forumon June 6th so that our members caninform our final position. Irrespective ofour final advice to the sector, we areencouraging agencies to prepare toparticipate in the August Census countas time is running short.

This edition of Parity is devoted to an issuethat unfortunately does not rate muchattention in the discussion of homelessnessor the response to homelessness. That issueis the r ights of people exper iencinghomelessness and their companion animals,or more simply, their pets.

Every year people who are homeless andwho have pets, mainly but not always dogs,are re fused access to hous ing andsupport by services who do not allow petson their premises.

Many of these people refuse to leave theirpets and thus forego their right to accessassistance. Even worse, some are forcedto abandon their pets or have them putdown in order to gain access to housingand support.

Similarly, many women fleeing domesticviolence often refuse to leave a violentrelationship because of their fears for thefate of the family pet or when they leave

their much-loved animals behind, they areconsumed with fear and anxiety about thefate of their pet.

Their pets are often considered “part of thefamily”. These pets are then left with theperpetrator and women and their childrenare forced to suffer, worrying about theirabandoned pets on top of everything elsethat they are forced to cope with to live safely.

For many people, and not just peopleexperiencing homelessness, their pet is one

o f t he i r ma in sou rces o f l o ve ,constancy, support and sometimesprotection. For some the choicebetween their pet and accommodationis no choice at all. They would rathersleep outside with their pet thanabandon it.

None of the above is necessary orinevitable.

This edition of Parity is devoted to anexamination of the above issues andsome of the responses to them. Inparticular, it looks at some of the greatresponses to the situation of womenand their families (including their pets)escaping family violence and alsothe support and assistance given too l d e r p e o p l e e x p e r i e n c i n ghomelessness to maintain their pets.

Hopefully this edition will encourageservices to examine and reassess theirpolicies regarding the rights of peopleexperiencing homelessness to keep theirpets.

Acknowledgements

This edition was made possible thanks tothe sponsorship support of the nationalRSPCA and Wintringham. Assistance wasalso provided by Artifishal Studios andTekprint.

Several people deserve special thanks fortheir work on this edition, in particular, GuestEditor Dr Rose Searby and Jennie Churchillwho have supported this project from itsinception.

Sarah Kahn, Manager CHP Policy andCommunications Unit

PARITY · Volume 24, Issue 4 · May 2011

NEWS

Homelessness Australia – May 2011 UpdateBy Nicole Lawder, Chief Executive Officer

In the past month we have continued afocus on the upcoming Census and

proposed changes to the methodology toanalyse the figures for homelessness. TheABS released a lengthy discussion paper(the review) on March 31st that outlinedtheir changes to the 2006 Census figures.

Homelessness Australia has requestedanother discussion forum for with the ABSon May 24th to enable representatives fromthe homelessness sector to respond to theABS methodological review of Countingt h e H o m e l e s s 2 0 0 6 . A n u m b e r o fHomelessness Australia staff, Board andCouncil members, along with memberswho have raised concerns with us andparticipated in teleconferences to discussthe implications of the review for both thesector and people who are experiencinghomelessness, are attending the forum.We hope that the consultation will providean opportunity for people to raise concernsthat they may not have had the opportunityto raise during the discussion forums thathave been held so far.

Homelessness Australia has been liaisingclosely with the ABS in preparation for thisdiscussion forum and we feel confident thatthe forum will give participants the time andinformation to make valuable input anddecisions about the way forward.

Homelessness Austral ia is current lycompleting its submission to FaHCSIA onthe Options Paper for the National QualityF ramework . FaHCSIA comple ted acomprehensive round of consultations, withover 500 people attending in 16 differentlocations, as well as some telephoneinterviews for those in harder to reach orremote services, or those who may havebeen unable to attend the face to faceconsultations. FaHCSIA have, I believe,genuinely consulted during this processand have taken on board the feedbackprovided. Written submissions will still beaccepted up to the end of May 2011 andHomelessness Austral ia is current lyfinalising its submission based on feedbackfrom members. Homelessness Australia’ssubmission will include:

• The value in a national homelessnesscharter to set out client rights and

responsibilities, as an educationaltool and as a means for leveraginggreater mainstream investment inreducing homelessness;

• The need for culturally appropriatestandards which are sufficientlyflexible to work for different typesand sizes of services, and

• That national homelessnessstandards must be mapped againstexisting standards and systems priorto their implementation to reduceunnecessary burden and remove thepotential for duplication.

I am a member of FaHCSIA’s SectorReference Group which will spend two daysin June discussing next steps forward withthe NQF.

I t i s n o t l o n g n o w u n t i l H o m e l e s sPersons’ Week, 1–7 August 2011. Thisyear’s theme is MY address — diversityin homelessness. You can find out moreat www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au goto Media and Publications and click on thelink to Campaign and National HomelessPersons’ Week 2011. ■

How You Can Help the RSPCAThe RSPCA is a community-based

charity that works to prevent cruelty toanimals by actively promoting their care andprotection.

Each year in Aust ra l i a , the RSPCAreceives over 150,000 stray, injured andsurrendered animals and investigates morethan 50,000 complaints of animal crueltyand neglect.

The RSPCA relies on the generous supportof individuals and organisations to carry outits vital work in the community.

There are many ways to help the RSPCAand the animals we care for each year.

Donate

Donations from the community make upnearly all of our national funding. Making adonation to the RSPCA is the quickest andeasiest way to help us care for animals.

Support our Campaigns

We need strong community participationto ensure the success of our campaignsand fundraising activities.

Events

Participate in our events. From Millions PawsWalk to RSPCA Cupcake Day, events area fun way to support the work of RSPCA.

Volunteering at the RSPCA

Our volunteers are vital members of theRSPCA team, far outnumbering our paid

staff. To find out more about volunteeringand to join our network of dedicatedvolunteers contact your local RSPCA.

Become a Member

Rece ive regu la r news and updatesthroughout the year, as well as special offersand discounts. The benefits of being amember of the RSPCA vary betweendifferent states and territories so check withyour local branch of the RSPCA.

Bequests

By leaving a bequest to the RSPCA in yourwill, you are ensuring that the RSPCA cancontinue to care for all creatures well intothe future.

Pet Insurance

RSPCA Pet Insurance is the most caring,cost effective way to protect your pet’swelfare. In doing so, up to 20% of yourpremium will be paid to support the RSPCAfor as long as you continue to insure yourpet.

Stay Informed

Subscribe to the RSPCA eNews to keepupdated on the latest animal welfare news.Visit www.rspca.org.au to sign up.

Shop RSPCA

Shop at your nearest shelter or at theRSPCA Online Shop for a great range ofpet accessories and supplies as well asofficial RSPCA merchandise and great gift

ideas. Shop RSPCA and every cent youspend contributes to our important work.V i s i t t h e R S P C A O n l i n e S h o p a twww.rspca.org.au/shop or your localRSPCA shelter shop.

Be Social

Jo in our growing network of on l inesupporters on Twitter and Facebook.

http://twitter.com/RSPCA

http://www.facebook.com/RSPCAAustralia

Be a Responsible Pet Owner

Care for your pet and look out for animalsin your community. De-sex, microchip andregister your dog or cat. If you’ve got aquestion check out the RSPCA KnowledgeBase. http://kb.rspca.org.au/

Buy Humanely ProducedRspca Approved FoodProducts

Next time you’re shopping remember topurchase RSPCA Approved food. Eggsand meat approved under the RSPCAApproved Farming Scheme have beenproduced humanely and by choosingRSPCA Approved products you will behelping the RSPCA improve the lives ofA u s t r a l i a ’ s f a r m a n i m a l s . R S P C AApproved products are avai lable atsupermarkets and butchers. For moreinformation or for a stockist near you visitwww.rspca.org.au/shophumane. ■

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IntroductionPets and Companion Animals: Why This is an Important IssueDr Rose Searby*

As this edition of Parity goes to print,there is a furore in Australia about the

export of l ive animals and the horrificexperiences and conditions the animals aresubject to in this process. As a direct resultof a graphic television exposé, the websitesof the RSPCA, Animals Australia, andGetUp! crashed after receiving over 2,000visitors per minute in a tide of anger byAustralians appealing to the government tocease the export of live cattle to Indonesia.Within five hours, 35,000 Australians signeda petition against live exports and when thepetition was presented at Parliament Housefour days later, it was over 3,000 pageslong and had 200,000 signatures.1

Imagine if this unprecedented and verypublic reaction to animals was to be thetipping point for a changed vision of themeaning and place animals have in our lives.Imagine if the groundswell created by thispublic furore led to new ways of thinkinga b o u t a n i m a l s a s a n i n t e g r a l a n d

interconnected part of life; a life in whichwe worked to create an ethically responsibleliving situation for both humans and animals.

Compelling events such as the live animalexport exposé dictate a need for humansto think differently about our relationshipswith all types of animals, of which companionanimals play a significant part. The need toaddress the cha l lenges and issuesassociated with homelessness and animalsis no different: it is a present, confronting,a n d v e r y r e a l n e e d t h a t r e q u i r e ssystematic solutions in order to createchange on a local, state and national level.This change is needed to bring about realtransformation in the lives, and improve thephysical and emotional health, welfare andrights of people and animals displacedand disadvantaged by homelessness.

Thank you to the Council of HomelessPersons for publishing this important specialedition of Parity. As this edition shows, thereis a clear need for a shift in attitudes towardsthe relationship between animals and

humans in the context of homelessness,and the issues associated with such a shiftpose many challenges.

Through this edit ion, the Counci l ofHomeless Persons have made a bold movein raising such issues in the homelessnesssector, an area of policy and practice thatis traditionally focused on a human-centreda p p r o a c h . B y b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e rcontributors from a range of both thehuman and animal welfare sectors frominterstate and overseas, this edition isconcerned not only with the welfare ofpeople, nor solely with the welfare ofanimals, but rather for a new ethics of carein the homelessness sector that recognisesthe justice and rights of both humans andanimals to stay and live together as a singleresponsible unit. I hope that this editionhelps to facilitate that change and furtherbring together existing networks of humanand animal NGOs, government agenciesand not-for-profit organisations to addressthe current situation for the homeless andtheir animal companions.

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etsResearch in both the USA and UK hasshown that many people who are homelessown pets in spite of personal circumstancesand environmental conditions; peopleexperiencing homelessness have a higherdegree of attachment to their pets thanthose who are securely housed; and thatthere is a clear need for research onhomelessness and animals that can feedinto policy change and development.2

Although research in Australia has shownthe importance of pets in the l ives ofhumans3 and the link between domesticviolence and maltreatment of pets,4 thereremains little research that examines therelationship between companion animalsand people experiencing homelessness.Importantly, this evidence shows thatrelationships between those who arehomeless and the i r pets are hugelysignificant, very real, and often irreplaceable.

Over the past twenty years there has beena fundamenta l sh i f t i n many o f theattitudes and values we place on pets,bringing animals and humans closertogether. Pet ownership in Australia is oneof the highest in the world with over 6.6million households owning a pet, and ascontributors to this edition outline, manysee the relationship with their pets as reliableand secure; they consider their pets as afamily member or substitute for children;pets offer emotional benefits; and petscounter loneliness and isolation.5

Those without a home, the aged, those witha mental illness, those sleeping rough,victims of domestic violence or naturaldisasters, often have a higher degree ofattachment to their pets than the securelyhoused, and severing this bond can betraumatic for not only their own physicaland mental health but also that of their pet(s).

As this edit ion of Parity reveals, thedevelopment of programs to help thehomeless and their pets also reflects thisincreasing trend towards closeness betweenhumans and animals. Many of theseprograms have evolved from a recognisedand urgent need yet many receive nogovernment funding, operate on very lowmargins, rely on volunteers and are in needof on-going funding in order to continue.

Animals also have an ambiguous role in ourlives. They are our companions that we treatas kin and they provide us with emotionalsupport. Yet they are at the same time asource of clothing and food as well assubstitutes for us in medical experiments.That is, we love them but also treat themwith relative impunity. In our attempts toreconcile these competing and opposingperspectives, humans have generatedextraordinary inconsistencies in attitudes,behaviour and policies towards animals.

These i ncons i s tenc ies pose ma jo rchallenges to human psychology, ethicsand mora l i t y and con f ron t us w i thfundamental questions about what it meansto be human. On the negat ive s ide,answering these questions can revealhuman prejudices about the superiority ofhumans over and above all species andpe rpe tua te t he no t i on tha t human

relationships with animals are somehow notreal or serious.6 On the positive side,addressing the challenges inherent inovercoming these inconsistencies can revealdeeper understandings of human social andmoral life, inform social justice issues andlead to an increase in human and animalwelfare and health.

These ambiguities and inconsistencies inhuman attitudes to animals are relevant inthe context of homelessness and go someway to explaining why Australia lacks asystematic solution for the homeless andtheir animals. They are difficult issues thatare often contentious and challenging andaddressing them requires the dissolution ofbinary attitudes that see animals as mereadditions to the lives of the disadvantaged.

As you will read in this edition, there are somewonderful services and much neededprograms for people and animals madehomeless. Yet as some contributors pointout, much more is needed in terms ofacknowledgement and understanding of thedepth and complexities of the currentsituation and finding practical and policysolutions to deal with the issues. All of theprograms outlined in this edition are beaconsthat can — and should — be used asspringboards and models for future solutions.

This edition of Parity is important becauseit also reveals the many silent beingswhose voices are not represented in thisdiscussion. The majority of residentialfacilities for the homeless in Australia donot accept pets. Yet in this edition wehave only a couple of the voices of peopleexperiencing homelessness, that is thosewho are continuously denied help andhousing simply because they have a pet.We do not hear from those sleeping intheir cars with their pets, those forced togive up their pet or those who go withoutfood in order to feed their pet. We do nothear of the pain, trauma and loss. Thosewho are already displaced have to sufferin making decisions about their animalcompanions. And we do not hear fromaccommodat ion se rv i ce p rov ide rsthemselves who frequently deal with theseissues but cannot transparently do so forfear of loss of funding amongst otherconcerns.

Importantly also, in this edition we do nothear from animals themselves, about thestress they suffer being caught in cycles ofhomelessness and the adverse effect ontheir health. Although animals cannot talk,they are not silent, passive recipients ofhuman affect and nurture. The relationshipbetween people and pets is not one-way,for pets are capable of creating shareddefinit ions and engaging in symbolicinteraction such as protecting domesticviolence victims from perpetrators, orguarding those sleeping rough on the street.7

It is important we consider their voices inthis discussion.

The International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organisation’s 2007Tokyo Declaration states that: ‘It is auniversal, natural and basic human rightto benefit from the presence of animals’.

Unfortunately this right is denied to manypeople exper ienc ing homelessnessthroughout Australia. This edition of Paritycalls for a shift in attitudes towards therelationship between humans and theiranimal companions. It illustrates that thereis a need for research that examines therelationship between people experiencinghomelessness and their pets, researchthat can lead to a systematic attempt toaddress the limitations of systems andevolve into practical solutions that will feedinto policy and affect change for peoplea n d a n i m a l s d i s a d v a n t a g e d b yhomelessness. ■

* Dr Rose Searby is a consultant historian whospecialises in human-animal studies andhomelessness. She is the founder of HELPPwhich aims to help homeless people keepownership of, maintain the health of, andkeep living with their companion animals.Rose can be contacted atrosesearby@optusnet.com.au or0421 052 471. Rose would like toacknowledge the support for HELPP of theCulture and Animals Foundation (USA).

Footnotes

1. RSPCA NSW media release, ‘RSPCA,Animals Australia, Getup websites crashunder huge demand in Live Exportcampaign’, 31 May 2011 and GetUp! emailcampaign newsletter 4 June 2011.

2. H. Taylor et al, ‘Homelessness and dogownership: an investigation into animalempathy, attachment, crime, drug use,health and public opinion’ in Anthrozoos: AMultidisciplinary Journal of The Interactionsof People & Animals, Vol. 17, No.4, 2004,pp353–68; A.H & R.M. Kidd, ‘Benefits andliabilities of pets for the homeless’ inPsychological Reports, Vol. 74, No.3 (Pt 1),June 1994, pp715–22; and R.S. Singer etal, ‘Dilemmas associated with rehousinghomeless people who have companionanimals’, in Psychological Reports, Vol. 77,No.3 (Pt 1), Dec 1995, pp851–7.

3. B. Heady, 2006 National People and PetsSurvey: Socially Responsible PetOwnership in Australia, A Decade ofProgress, Petcare Information and AdvisoryService, Melbourne, 2006, available at:http://www.petnet.com.au/sites/default/files/National_People_and_Pets_2006.pdf(accessed 4/12/09).

4. A. Volant, J. Johnson, E. Gullone & G.Coleman, ‘The Relationship BetweenDomestic Violence and Animal Abuse: AnAustralian Study’, in Journal ofInterpersonal Violence, Vol. 23, No. 9, Sept.2008, pp1277-1295; Frank Ascione &Kenneth Shapiro, ‘People and Animals,Kindness and Cruelty: Research Directionsand Policy Implications’ in Journal of SocialIssues, Vol 65, No 3, 2009, pp569-587;and Clifton Flynn, Battered Women andtheir Animal Companions: SymbolicInteraction Between Human and NonhumanAnimals’ in Society & Animals, Vol 8, No 2,2000, pp99–127.

5. Hugh Mackay and MacCallum ResearchPty Ltd., What Australians Feel About TheirPets: A Study of Our Attitudes to Cat andDog Ownership, Petcare InformationAdvisory Service, Camberwell, Victoria,September 1992.

6. ibid, p634.

7. Clifton P. Flynn, ‘Battered Women andTheir Animal Companions: SymbolicInteraction Between Human and NonhumanAnimals’ in Society and Animals, Vol 8, No2, 2000, pp99–127.

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Chapter 1: What Works?

Much More than Cats and DogsBy Michael Linke, CEO, RSPCA ACT

When people think about the RSPCAthey think of abandoned pets living

in cages. Primarily they think about catsand dogs. They think about high death rates,or death row. They accept that the role theRSPCA plays is to take off the streetsunwanted animals and in the most part putthem to sleep.

However, today in 2011 at the RSPCA inCanberra, nothing could be further from thetruth. We strongly believe we are in thebusiness of saving lives.

The RSPCA ACT manages more than8,500 animals annually across morethan 110 species. Of these almost5,5001 are homed, returned to ownersor released back to the wild. We havein place policies that allow animals tostay with us for as long as is neededbefore they are rehomed or released.We also do not falsely create spaceby simply putting healthy animals tosleep.

The RSPCA ACT boasts a staggeringlyhigh homing rate for dogs; some96 per cent of all dogs go to a home.This is unprecedented in animal welfarecircles and is the cornerstone of anumber of successful programs,including programs targeted at helpingvulnerable members of our community.Our homing rate for cats, while not ashigh, is considered among the best inthe country at almost 70 per cent.

In addition to taking in and caring for injured,abandoned and lost animals, an emergingtrend in our work is supporting the mostvulnerable members of the community;victims of domestic violence, sufferers ofdrug and alcohol abuse, those experiencinghomelessness, those living in poverty andsqualor and juveniles living in difficultfamily circumstances. Of course this workrequires increased attention, increasedfunding and outside the square thinking

Research has shown that 63 per cent2 ofthe households in Australia own a pet.Research has also revealed, and commonsense dictates, that similar numbers ofvictims of domestic violence, peopleexperiencing homelessness, drug andalcohol sufferers, dysfunctional families andpeople with mental illness own a pet.

This emerging issue has not gone unnoticedand we have put in place a number ofprograms, resources and facilities to betterequip us to manage this trend. Sadly thisservice is unfunded by government or anyallied health services and as such is offeredon a limited needs basis. We would love todo more, we want to do more and we believewe can if we continue to develop ties andrelationships with people and organisationssupporting this vulnerable community.

What we need now is greater communitysupport to ensure long term success in thisfield. Some suggestions as to what thecommunity can do are contained at theconclusion of this article.

Our focus has been on prevention, earlyintervention and corrective action to allowanimals to remain with their owners.

An example of this was our support of ayoung woman, Mary. Mary becamehomeless as a result of some tough lifecircumstances and we were able to helpher by providing emergency care for hertwo dogs. This care extended for almosta 12-month period while Mary was waitingfor government housing. We kept Mary’sdogs at our shelter at no cost. Duringthis time Mary came and walked her dogson an almost dai ly basis. They wereprovided with veterinary care, food, waterand shelter. When Mary was provided withhousing we assisted her with settling inher dogs and to this day they are living ahappy life.

Many of our cases see animals utilising ourfacilities for a shorter period of time than inthe case above while their owner recoversfrom some life changing event. Whetherthey are a victim of domestic violence, adrug and alcohol sufferer, are remanded inprison for a period of time, require extendedhealth care support or just need the helpof one of the myriad allied health servicesavailable in our region, the RSPCA is there.

A young man, Bruce, became homeless,was s l eep i ng r ough and fina l l y , i ndesperat ion, contacted the RSPCA,believing he had no choice but to surrenderhis two dogs. He did not have the moneyto feed himself let alone his dogs. Sadly we

were left with no choice but to re-homeone of his dogs, but, Bruce has withour he lp , been ab le to prov ideveterinary attention and food for hisremaining dog. Bruce believes thatwithout that companionship he couldnot have coped and he is eternallythankful for the support offered byRSPCA during this dire time in his life.

As we did with Bruce, our focus is onsustaining the relationship betweenpeople and their pets, sustaininganimals already in loving homes, andsustaining the population who alreadylove their pet.

It would seem ludicrous on two frontsto force someone to surrender a lovedp e t b e c a u s e o f d i f fi c u l t l i v i n gcircumstances. Now in some cases,this may be the wish of the owner, butin the greater majority of cases the lastth ing an owner wants to do i s

surrender a pet. In many cases, as withBruce, the pet is the last semblance of reality,the last ray of hope of putting their life backtogether.

The second reason this is not optimal isbecause it takes a place in an animal shelterof another animal and means the shelterneeds to find another new family for anotherpet. If in the long run we can keep thesepets out of the shelter and focus on shortterm foster care, we create an opportunityto make real long term savings.

Our focus is on maintaining the linkage,maintaining the relationship rather thansurrendering animals and the RSPCAworking to find them a new home. If we canmaintain homes in the first place, the trulyneedy animals have a greater chance of

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etscases we offer in-home support to ensurethat the pet’s welfare is managed.

Recently we attended a block of flats in thesouthern part of Canberra and arrangedvaccination, worming and vet checks of allof the pets living in this complex. We couldhave opted to seize these animals, butinstead we worked cooperatively with thecommunity and provided support where itwas needed and assured ourselves that allanimal welfare needs were being met. Ourstaff will visit regularly to ensure the ongoingwelfare needs of the pets. We are confidentthat residents truly love their pets and thatthe best outcome has been achieved forall concerned. Although it did carry with itsignificant cost, we provided this servicecompletely free of charge.

Often when you are dealing with issues likepoverty, squalor and domestic violence, youare also regularly dealing with mental healthissues. A great many number of our casesinvolve varying degrees of mental healthintervention and support. We have providedour staff with some training in this regard,but mostly we work with all ied healthproviders. In many of the cases we areinvolved with, people have case workers inplace and support programs alreadydeveloped. Our role is to ensure animalwelfare is looked after and avoid the needto seize or have an animal surrendered.

A key factor in these cases is to ensure thepet is de-sexed. This functions to guardagainst future unwanted pregnancies thatwould add to the overall animal welfareproblem in Canberra. Sufferers of mentalhealth issues are less inclined to have ap e t d e - s e x e d , w h i c h i s t h e l a w i nCanberra. To this end we arrange free and

much discounted de-sexing services. Theowner is relieved that they will keep theirpet, and we have managed the issue ofanimal welfare as new litters of puppies andkittens will not be growing up in difficultcircumstances.

The issue of pet ownership and abandonmentis critical one and an issue that has not hadenough emphasis, research or work doneto clearly define solutions; solutions to whata r e v e r y c o m p l e x a n d c o n c e r n i n gproblems, not only for RSPCA, but for thebroader community as a whole. The RSPCAwelcomes any opportunity to discuss, exploreand exchange ideas on these issues and weremain committed to offering support andassistance where needed.

In a number of cases, our approach of earlyintervention and putting in place strategiesto try and avoid the surrender of an animaldoes work. Where this strategy falls downis when there is a lack of space or nowherefor the animal to be temporarily held. Weneed to work closer with other supportservices and put in place kennels and catruns and other facilities in half way houses,refuges, jails, remand centres and hospitals.We need to ensure that we create petfriendly environments. Only then can wetruly say that we live in a society that trulycherishes pets. ■

Footnotes

1. The 3,000 animals not homed or releasedare either transferred to another agency(local dog pound for reuniting with owners),dead on arrival (mostly native animals hit bya car), put to sleep as a result of incurableillness, untreatable injuries, aggressivebehaviour or are defined feral.

2. Refer: http://kb.rspca.org.au/How-many-people-own-pets-in-Australia_58.htmland http://www.acac.org.au/.

3. Animal Welfare and Domestic Violence, byFrank R. Ascione, Ph.D, Claudia V. Weber,M.S., and David S. Wood, Utah StateUniversity, Logan, Utah. Originallysubmitted to The Geraldine R. DodgeFoundation 25 April 1997.

4. Cruelty towards the family pet: a survey ofwomen experiencing domestic violence onthe Central Coast, New South Wales,Cheryl Travers, Andrew Dixon, KarenThorne, Kaye Spicer, 20 July 2009.

5. http://consensus.nih.gov/1987/1987HealthBenefitsPetsta003html.htm

6. http://consensus.nih.gov/1987/1987HealthBenefitsPetsta003html.htm

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Managing mental health, homelessnessand domestic violence, while at the sametime looking after both the human welfareaspect and animal welfare aspect arem u l t i f a c e t e d a n d c o m p l e x t i m econsuming issues. As stated in theadjacent article, early intervention andcollaboration are key contributing factorsto ongoing success.

In addition to this there is real actionthat we could take now to address someof these issues.

For example, installing cat cages anddog kennels/runs in refuge centres, halfway houses, jails, community centres,hospitals and remand centres will allowdisplaced community members theopportunity to maintain their bond andrelationship with animals.

This action may also assist with speedierrecovery5 time, increased socialisationand the reduction of anti-social behaviours.For other people experiencing difficulties,access to pets can also assist with alliedhealth issues such as reducing bloodpressure and stress levels.6

Ensur ing secure back yards in a l lcommunity and government houses sono delays are experienced when petowners require these houses is anothermeasure that can be employed quickly.We have worked with a number of caseswhere de lays o f some weeks areexper ienced by owners tak ing upresidence is a new home as the yard isnot secure or safe for their dog.

At a more philosophical level, we needto work on adjusting attitudes ande d u c a t i n g n o t o n l y t h e b r o a d e rcommunity, but also those employed inthe support industry to understand moreabout the needs of pets, the risks involvedand to dispel some of the myths aboutdisease transfer and other associatedanimal welfare issues. The RSPCA standsready to work with any organisation orgroup towards this goal.

Finally, by tapping into the RSPCA andchecking on what support we can offer.We can supply food and veterinarysupport or temporary accommodationto remove an animal into foster care whilethe family resettles.

What needs to be Done…

In 2010 the RSPCA ACT supported193 families in crisis. Support rangedfrom emergency foster and shelter careof a pet, food, veterinary care, veterinarytransport, ongoing walking of a familypet and in house feeding and cleaning.

The service we offer is called PetSupport . I t i s unfunded by anygovernment or external agency anddelivery of the service at the time ofneed is dependent on the RSPCA’sresources. The service is offered forfree in most cases, but some costrecovery charges may apply dependingon the circumstances.

finding a home. Our costs are minimised,our workload and flows are managed andour efforts are rewarded.

Take for instance a family experiencingdomestic violence. Research has shownthat 25 to 33 per cent3, 4 of women will stayin a difficult relationship for fear of what willhappen to the family pet if they left. Now ifthe RSPCA could say to the family, or thepolice, or whoever attends, that the petwill be safe, we can quickly remove the petand allow the victim and family to work withallied support staff. Once the situation issettled, then the pet can be returned.

In terms of animal management, the RSPCAwill know that this pet will be going to a homeat some point and staff can devote greaterenergy into finding homes for otheranimals. In terms of animal welfare, the petwon’t need to adjust to a new family and itsstay at the shelter, or in foster care, willalways be positive as its outcome is known.

Our program also supports people who areexperiencing homelessness. Our pet supportstaff regularly visit and liaise with peopleexperiencing homelessness and check ontheir pets to make sure they are sufficientlyfed, receiving veterinary care and that theiroverall welfare is being managed. At no timedoes the RSPCA work to seize these pets,unless of course their welfare is beingcompromised. Our strategy is focused onworking with people experiencing homelessand providing them with the support andtoo ls they need to ensure they canmaintain their relationship with their pet.

Our support services also assist those livingin poverty and people who are trapped ina world of drugs and or alcohol. In these

People, Pets and Public HousingBy Jennie Churchill

Pets at Northcott is a community eventthat brings together inner Sydney public

housing tenants, the local community, theirrespect ive companion animals, andvolunteers — vets, vet students and peoplewho just want to be involved.

The event recognises and celebrates thecentral role pets often play in the lives ofpublic housing tenants.

Built in 1961, Northcott is one of severallarge public housing estates in the City ofSydney. In 2006 it became the first publichousing estate in the world to receive WHOSafe Community accreditation. The 2006documentary 900 Neighbours, a hit of theSydney Film Festival (http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/900-neighbours/), outlinedthe estate’s battles to achieve safety andstability for its residents through art-basedcommunity programs. However, Northcottcontinues to experience social problems.

A joint project of the City of Sydney, SurryHills Public Tenants Association (SHPTA),Crookwell Veterinary Hospital and theFaculty of Veterinary Science studentassociation at Sydney University, Pets atNorthcott is held annually in Ward Park, nextdoor to the Northcott Estate.

Now in its fourth year, the one day eventgrew from a park bench conversation inWard Park between the la te SandyHenderson, the then Chair of the Surry HillsPublic Tenants Association, and JennieChurchill, co-owner of Crookwell VeterinaryHospital and at the time, policy advisor forthe NSW Minister for Community Services.

Sandy’s dog Pixie, in need of veterinaryattention on a tight budget, was the catalyst.

It’s a simple concept: provide free vet healthchecks for the pets of people often unableto afford veterinary services, invite the wholecommunity, put on a BBQ and have fun.

From small beginnings in 2008, with 50 dogsand cats receiving free pet health checks,by 2010 almost 30 volunteer vet studentsand three supervising vets gave health checksto around 140 dogs and 35 cats. Thirty-eightpets were micro-chipped free of charge bythe City of Sydney. Every pet was wormed,and each owner received free pet food andnutritional advice, and a giveaway bag withflea and other pet products.

Twenty dog gift bags were taken to the Cityof Sydney homelessness outreach team forthose people unable to attend who live onthe streets with their pets.

Surry Hills Public Tenants Association ChairCharmaine Jones is one of the eventvolunteers. She says apart from pets oftenbeing the closest thing to family some peoplehave, the Northcott Pet Day is one of therare opportunities for public housing tenantsand the wider community to come togetherin a united way.

“It’s an invaluable occasion for buildingbetter relationships and aiding inde-stigmatising public housing ...(that’s) the power of our loyal, lovingfour-legged friends!”

There’s another bonus — the hands-onexperience gained by the volunteer vetstudents. Some have volunteered everyyear, taking the opportunity to practiseconsulting, communication and animalhandling skills and sharing their love ofanimals with a very diverse and sometimeschallenging group of people and pets.

The City of Sydney is a key supporter of theevent. The City’s Public Housing LiaisonOfficer and Companion Animals LiaisonOffice r , Dom Greno t and Ta ra Ma iHoneyman, work with Crookwell VeterinaryHospital and SHPTA to organise the event.Corporate, government and NGO sponsorsand partners include Housing NSW,Advance Pet Foods, Merial Australia, BayerAnimal Health, Provet, Australian VeterinaryAssociation, RSPCA NSW and the CatProtection Society.

The day also features dog agility andobedience demonstrations, the chance tointeract with the native birds, reptiles andanimals of Australian Wildlife Displays and,in 2010, a surprise visit by Bondi Vet DrChris Brown.

The organisers of the 2011 Northcott PetDay aim to expand its reach by providingtransport to and from Ward Park for peoplesleeping rough who own pets, and petowners living in other public housing estateswithin the City of Sydney. ■

For more information, contactJennie Churchill onjlchurchill@bigpond.com

Northcott Pet Day is held in Ward Park, next to Northcott Estate.

People and pets get to socialise in the line forpet health checks and free micro-chipping.

In 2010, volunteer vet students gave free pethealth checks to around 140 dogs and 35 cats.

It’s a great day for kids and animals to get toknow one another.

Sydney University vet faculty Wildlife Centreprovided free micro-chipping for Pierre’sparrot, Cleopatra, as a pro bono contributionafter the day.

The native animals of Australian WildlifeDisplays are always popular.

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etsThe Unique BondBy Jennifer Davis, Executive Manager Marketing,RSPCA Victoria.

“He is your friend, your partner, yourdefender. You are his life, his love, hisleader. He will be yours, faithful andtrue, to the last beat of his heart. Youowe it to him to be worthy of suchdevotion.” ~ Unknown

At the RSPCA Victoria, we often seethe worst of human behaviour towards

animals. However, we are a lso veryprivileged to witness the incredible bondthat many people share with their pets.Humans share this unique bond with animalsbecause of the unwavering loyalty ouranimals give us. Pets don’t judge or criticise,they just give. They give unconditional love— and are often our best friends and valuedmembers of our family.

For many of us, we believe the only timewe will need to part with our pets is whenthey escape from our backyard or passaway with age. We don’t imagine situationswhere we might be faced with difficult lifechoices because governments, businessesand other stakeholders don’t understandthat special bond. Making a choice betweenlife’s basic necessities and parting with ourbest friend is no choice at all. This wasanother valuable insight reinforced duringthe devastating Black Saturday bushfires.

The bushfires on February 7th 2009 willsadly be forever etched in all of our minds.The loss of human life was devastatingand tragically it is estimated that the lossof animal life was well over one million. Thebushfires impacted the entire community— people who provided support to thosecommunit ies but especial ly to thoseres id ing i n the a f f ec ted reg ions i nVictoria. One important insight from thistragedy was the heightened importanceof surviving animals for those impacted.For many people who had lost so much,their animals were one of the few remainingr e m i n d e r s o f t h e i r l i f e b e f o r e t h ebushfires and they took on even greaterimportance in their owners’ lives.

Over 2,000 houses were destroyed duringthe bushfires which resulted in more than7,500 people having nowhere to call home.These people could never have imaginedthat they might find themselves homeless.Whilst suffering incredible grief, many of thosewho were displaced were faced with difficultchoices when trying to re-establish their lives.In addi t ion to the t rauma they wereexperiencing, they were confronted withmany of the issues that other homelesspeople face: rental property owners andagents who wouldn’t consider the i rappl icat ions because they had pets;emergency accommodation and reliefcentres that wouldn’t allow pets; andcomments from well-meaning people whosuggested that they just give up their animals.

The experience of the RSPCA Victoria teamwas that for many of these people, therewas no choice. They would not give up theiranimals despite the additional challengesfaced in keeping them. People still arrivedat relief centres with their animals andinsisted they be allowed to stay. In manycases people who could not find temporaryaccommodation instead chose to stay ontheir burnt out properties living in tents,caravans and in some cases shippingcontainers so they could keep their petswith them. Local councils were encouragingpeople not to go back onto their propertiesas they had no access to basic servicessuch as power, sewerage or water. Butwhat choice did those impacted really have?

Agencies involved in the initial emergencyrelief and ongoing recovery efforts quicklygained insights into how much value peopleplaced on their animals. It was clear thatpolicies needed to be adapted and newthinking was required.

The Bushfire Recovery and ReconstructionAuthority developed plans to build threetemporary accommodation villages for thosed isp laced in the bushfi res . In i t i a l l yconsideration had not been given to housingpets in these temporary villages. However,the authority changed their plans afterconsulting with key stakeholders includingRSPCA Victoria. Due to the higher petownership of those displaced by the bushfires,there were serious concerns that peoplewould not consider the temporary villageaccommodation if their pets were not allowedto be with them. The RSPCA provided adviceand equipment free of charge to ensure theneeds of animals could be met in thesetemporary villages, including supplying dogand cat runs, enrichment toys, behaviouraladvice, micro-chipping and de-sexing.

The people who did not want to live in thesetemporary villages faced the decisions ofstaying with family or friends, attemptingto rent accommodation or remaining at theirburnt out properties. In the end, many madethe decision to stay on their properties intents or caravans including over the wintersof 2009 and 2010 whilst they rebuilt.

Many who were severely traumatised bythe events felt they needed to get awayfrom the areas impacted by the bushfires.Some chose to rent properties in otherareas and others decided to move out ofthe bushfire impacted areas permanently.Too often these people also faced thechoice of gaining accommodation with thecompromise of giving up their beloved pets.Understanding the bond between humansand animals, RSPCA Victoria and otheranimal welfare agencies provided advice,support and temporary boarding for theseanimals whilst their owners found placesto l ive. These people found that weunderstood what their pets meant to themand that we were committed to advocatingon their behalf.

Other state governments tried to learn thelessons from the Black Saturday bushfiredisaster experienced in Victoria. Duringthe recent Queensland floods there wasacknowledgement that their emergencymanagement plan was updated due tolearnings from Victoria. However, the valuethat people place on their pets was perhapsagain overlooked. When the Queenslandand local governments asked residents toevacuate due to the floods and cyclone,many people refused when told they couldnot take their pets to relief centres. This civildisobedience resulted in a quick change ofpolicy and people were permitted to bringtheir animals. The relief centres establishedseparate areas to accommodate pets andvolunteers from organisations such asRSPCA helped to care for those animals.

The B l ack Sa tu rday bushfi res andQueensland floods are often referred to as“once in a lifetime” disasters. Many of theselessons apply equally to an everyday crisisthat can result in a person being homeless.Most pet lovers when asked to choosebetween their animals and accommodationwill find this no choice at all — they willremain by the side of their beloved pets.

What can be done?• Federal, state and local

governments must include pets intheir emergency planning;

• Resources need to be provided topeople with pets to assist them withsecuring rental propertieswww.rspcavic.org/animal_care/renting_with_pets.htm;

• There needs to be increasedawareness of the availability ofemergency animal boarding, and

• The concerned community needs toadvocate to governments and otheragencies the importance of animalsin people’s lives and the need toreflect this in their public housingpolicies. ■

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Margaret and Koolie 2009“Rebuilding my life will be difficult butwith Koolie by my side, anything ispossible.”

After losing her home, her other belovedcanine companions and all of her materialpossessions in the Kinglake fires, thecompanionship of Koolie has been invaluableto Margaret.

Koolie is still traumatised by his fire experienceand finding him a new companion isMargaret’s main priority. Once the rebuildingof her home is complete, Margaret will workclosely with the RSPCA to find a newcompanion for her trusty friend.

The Importance of Pets in Times of HardshipBy Debra Boland, Marketing andCommunications,Animal Aid

Animal Aid is a not for profit, companionanimal shelter and resource centre that

has branches in Coldstream, Bairnsdale andSale. We are in one of the best positions towitness the full spectrum of how animalsare treated in our society. We have directevidence of the important role that pets playin the lives of so many people, regardlessof their socioeconomic or societal status.

For many years now Animal Aid has workedtirelessly to try to keep people and their petstogether to avoid those animals becomingstatistics. We take an innovative andproactive approach to our role and providea comprehensive range of programs andservices that support people in all aspectsof pet ownership. As a result we are regularlyapproached to assist when things go wrong,particularly for emergency accommodationfor pets in times of crisis.

Unfortunately we are regularly being toldthat no-one else will help and the last thingpeople want to do is relinquish their pets.The demand for this type of outreachservice is on the rise, we simply must bethere to meet it.

Whether the crisis is financial or emotionalin nature, a health or drug related issue,sanctuary from domestic violence or evena natural disaster, the common theme isthat the pets that belong to people in crisishave increased value. The mere thought ofhaving to be separated temporarily can bepainful enough, having to consider the

possibility of losing them permanently isoften too much to bear.

I was the supervisor of Animal Aid’s Petsin Peril Domestic Violence service andco-ordinated our related emergencyaccommodation programs from 2006 to2010. In that time I have ridden many a rollercoaster with case workers and clients alikeand today I continue to play a supportiverole to the current supervisor. In everycase we despera te l y t r y to find anoutcome that meets the needs of all parties,which believe me, is rarely easy.

At Animal Aid we believe that our Pets inPeril program is a great model of howoutreach services and animal shelters canwork together to provide refuge for the‘whole’ family. Currently this program is runas a collaborative partnership betweenAnimal Aid and Eastern Domestic ViolenceService, which services a large area ofEastern suburbs. We use a network of vetclinics that act as pick up and drop off pointsand even have the support of somemunicipal councils and police stations.

Due to the need for discretion in mattersof domestic violence, it is difficult to talkspecifically about how this program runsas we don’t want perpetrators to know thewhereabouts of the animal/s in question.Suff ice to stay, where the animal isultimately housed depends on a few keyfactors such as species, temperament,level of socialisation and whether they arede-sexed or not.

Animal holding space in a shelter alwayscomes at a premium and our priorities aredivided between all the animals that need

a second chance. Unfortunately Animal Aidcannot always provide accommodation.What we can provide is advice on optionsand access to connections and resourcesthat the general public may not otherwisebe aware of.

We are limited in the service we can provide,we charge a nominal fee per animal per dayand while we understand that in most casesit may not be adequate, we must limit ananimal’s stay to 28 days.

An added and popular service we havea t t a c h e d t o a l l o u r e m e r g e n c yaccommodation cases is low cost de-sexing. Due to financial reasons, de-sexingmay not always be a priority. Given theimplications that not de-sexing can presentan owner, and the shelter for that matter,this offer is readily taken up. When you areready to collect your pet, you take homea fully recovered de-sexed, micro-chippedpet. It couldn’t be easier.

Disappointingly Animal Aid has been unableto secure any funding for our EmergencyAccommodation program and bares thesignificant financial burden that comes fromproviding this vitally important service. Itis often thought of as an animal relatedservice but in truth it is equally a humanone. Ultimately our ability to ensure that itcontinues may be influenced by financialconsiderations. However, when you knowthat you are really helping someone, it ishard to say no.

While I have dealt with many clients overthe years, some not so grateful due to timeconstraints, I don’t dwell on their frustration.Many are experiencing challenges that Icannot imagine. For others I know howmuch they appreciated what we were doingfor them and their driving force, workingtowards being reunited with their pet, wasall the incentive they needed to get thingsback on track. There truly are people wholive through and for their pets. Their petsare the reason they get up in the morning.

The human/animal bond is a powerful forceand the therapeutic, personal security,physical warmth and companionship valuescan never be underestimated. Our pets canbe the glimmer of hope even when all elseseems lost. Their unconditional love anddevotion is an admirable quality, worthy ofreciprocal dedication and commitment. Weshould never downplay the importance ofpets in times of hardship. ■

For more information or to make adonations towards Animal Aid’s Pets inPeril Program and related emergencyaccommodation services for petsplease visit www.animalaid.org.auor call 03 9739 0300.

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etsLort Smith Animal Hospital’sEmergencyWelfare Assistance ProgramBy Melissa Hughes, Marketing and FundraisingAssistant, Lort Smith Animal Hospital

Lort Smith Animal Hospital (LSAH) is aMelbourne institution, having been

founded nearly 80 years ago by Mrs LouisaLort Smith after the closure of the MelbourneUniversity free veterinary clinic. Mrs Lort Smithsaw there was a drastic need for an affordableveterinary care that could treat all animals ofpeople with limited financial means.

Nearly 80 years later, the Lort Smith AnimalHospital (or Lort Smith as it’s commonlyreferred) continues to provide exceptionalveterinary and shelter care to the animalsof Melbourne. With over 30 vets and 60nurses, LSAH is the largest not-for-profitanimal hospital in Australia, providing careand support to many thousands of animalswho pass through our doors each year.

As well as our veterinary services, LSAHalso provides a number of communityfocussed programs to assist pets of peoplewho are disadvantaged or in need of someextra support. These include:

• Lort Smith’s PALS Program (PetsAre Loving Support): Volunteersand their dogs visit the sick, frail andelderly in nursing homes andhospitals throughout Melbourne andGeelong. By enabling thepatient/resident with the opportunityto pat and cuddle a dog, enormoustherapeutic benefit is provided. Thisservice is provided free of charge.

• LEAD (Learning and Educationfor Adopted Dogs): The Lort SmithLEAD training program has beenspecifically created to help a shelterdog settle in to their new home, butis also a great way to provide somegood basic training for any dog.

• Community Outreach: LSAH hasa very successful partnershipprogram with the Judy LazarusTransition Centre, which works aspart of our foster program. Prisonersat the Judy Lazarus TransitionCentre care for foster animals fromLort Smith until they are ready foradoption. The partnership, as withany good partnership, is extremelybeneficial to parties, building self-esteem among prisoners as theytransition back into the communityas well as providing foster animalswith a good environment with lots ofhuman contact.

• Lort Smith Ambulance: Providinga door-to-door pick up service forpets of those people who do nothave transport.

• LSAH Emergency WelfareAssistance Program: Enablingthose in dire situations to place theiranimal(s) with us while they get backon their feet. This service is availablefor pets of people in a variety ofsituations, such as being ill andrequiring hospital care, those whoare homeless and need a night ortwo in a boarding facility, or pets ofpeople in a family crisis (i.e.domestic violence, sick kids etc.).

LASH Emergency WelfareAssistance Program:A Case StudyDuring the 2009 financial crisis Mr O’Sullivanlost his job and soon found he was out of aplace to live. A proud man with a good workethic, he was somewhat in shock havinggone from a relatively ‘normal’ existence toone where he was effectively homeless andon the street. After a few weeks of campingon friends’ sofas, he was falling deeper anddeeper into a depression whilst becomingd is i l l us ioned w i th the constant jobknockbacks. He was a man that was downon his luck, but who continued to love andcare for his poodle Molly a great deal.

Unfortunately due to his precarious financialposition, Mr O’Sullivan found himself unableto prov ide qual i ty care for Mol ly . Indesperation, and at a loss of what to do,he came to Lort Smith with the intention ofsurrendering Molly; after all, in his mind hehad no other option. The stars were on MrO’Sullivan’s side that day as thankfully hehad chosen to bring his dog to the Lort.Upon hearing his story, the staff immediatelyqualified Molly to take part in our Emergency

Welfare Assistance Program which providedMr O’Sullivan with the option of leaving Mollywith us for a short while whilst he managedto get back on his feet.

The wonderful shelter staff continued to carefor Molly until Mr O’Sullivan had found a newhome and was financially able to properlycare for his dog again. As part of our service,we provided Molly with a thorough vet check,ensuring her vaccinations were up to date,as well as providing daily interaction andstimulation to ensure she was at ease inthe shelter surroundings.

Mr O’Sullivan had gone from a positionwhere he thought he’d have to give up hisloved companion, to one where he couldtake the time to get the help and assistancehe needed whilst knowing Molly would belooked after. This is a true measure of howthe Lor t Smi th Emergency We l fa reAssistance Program makes a real impact— both for the person and the animal.

Lort Smith sees many cases where peoplewho are homeless, need temporary care orrequire a place where they can leave theircat or dog whilst they get outside supportfor their own situation. Often, we are theirlast option with our staff understanding andrespecting an owner’s devotion and bondwith their pet. In line with our vision; ‘a worldin which animals are respected and thehuman/animal bond is understood andvalued’, Lort Smith’s Emergency WelfareAssistance Program is a perfect example ofhow we are working toward achieving this. ■

For further information on our servicesand programs please visitwww.lortsmith.comor call 03 9328 3021.

As a not-for-profit charity that receives noGovernment funding, we rely on thesupport of the community in order tocontinue providing our services.

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Pets Out West: Housing Rough Sleeping PetsinWestern SydneyBy Stephanie Brennan, Manager, Community Services, Wentworth CommunityHousing

Project 40

Project 40 is a supportive housing servicetargeting people experiencing chronic

homelessness. It is a unique collaborationof more than 80 services working to endhomelessness in the outer western suburbsof Sydney. Partners include youth and adulthomeless services, churches and charities,government departments, support services(family, women, disability, Aboriginal),councils, and housing and employmentagencies. Project 40 is funded by the NSWand Commonwealth Governments anddelivered by Wentworth Community Housing.

Together these services will deliver 60permanent supported houses for peopleexperiencing chronic homelessness by2013.

The ModelAt the heart of Project 40 lies the HousingFirst philosophy, an innovative way to endchronic homelessness that provides a homefirst, then practical support to build a newlife. The Project 40 model is inspired by DrSam Tsemberis’ Pathways to Housing andis based on the principles of psychiatricrehabilitation, consumer empowerment andharm minimisation.

Rough Sleeping PetsThe inaugural 2009 Street Count of roughsleepers undertaken in the Nepean/Blacktown region of western Sydneyc o n n e c t e d f o r t h e fi r s t t i m e , t h ehomelessness service system to peoplesleeping rough in the four LGAs of the region— Penrith, Blue Mountains, Hawkesburyand Blacktown. There are absolutely nohomelessness services or hostels for roughsleepers in the region and people sleepingrough have been largely invisible and hidden.A few dedicated charities and churches hadbeen running meal vans but these weredispersed and infrequent.

Through the joint efforts of the four localCouncils, homelessness services, businessand the community, connections were madewith the rough sleeping community. It wasfound that many rough sleepers had madecamps in the semi-rural areas of theHawkesbury, in caves and reserves in the

Blue Mountains, and in isolated streets,parks and squats in the urban fringes ofBlacktown and Penrith. There were manypeople sleeping rough by the river bankwhich winds throughout the area and theywere accompanied by their pets.

These pets were usually dogs, althoughthere have been cats (on leads), birds,goats and other animals sleeping roughwith their owners on the river bank. Thesepets were well cared for and lavished withaffection and attention. Although thisoccurs less frequently, women and familiessleeping in their cars are also sometimesaccompanied by their pets.

These pets would sometimes becomeimpounded and their owners told that ifthey did not pay the fine, their pet wouldbe sold. In the early months of Project 40many calls were received from P40’sConsumer Advocates to ask for help inpaying these fines so that distressed roughsleepers could have their pets returned.Outwardly tough rough sleeping men werein tears and desperate at the prospect oflosing their pet who was an integral partof their ‘street family’. These pets mayhave been the only source of affection orlove that some of these men received foryears on end. PA

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etsMaking HousingAccessible for Pets ofRough SleepersWentworth Community Housing startedreceiving referrals for Project 40 or fromP40 workers and Consumer Advocatesdoing outreach. Many of these were frompeople sleeping rough who would not beparted from their pets.

In the case of one elderly Aboriginal manwho had terminal cancer and had beensleeping on the river bank for many years,he declined offers of housing that were unableto accommodate his dog. Although he wasvery ill he said that unless his dog could comehe would rather sleep rough than be housed.His dog was a cherished member of his familyand therefore should be given the sameamount of respect and rights to shelter anda home as anyone else.

Housing Services staff implemented theutmost flexibility and listened with respectto the experiences of rough sleeping petowners. Allocation policies maintained asmuch flexibility as was possible and effortswere made to find properties with a yardand spaces for pets. These properties werethen matched to the owners as far as waspossible given the crisis of housing supplybeing experienced in western Sydney.

Providing Supportto PetsProject 40 is funded to deliver support tothe most vulnerable people. This is providedthrough a multi-disciplinary team. Eachtenant has a support plan developed whichlooks at their total needs — physical,

emotional, vocational, financial, cultural —and which aims to empower tenants tosustain their housing and actively participatein the community in ways that are meaningfuland inclusive.

Pets also have support plans developed forthem. Case workers aim to ensure that petsare given an initial health check and througha partnership with the Animal Welfare Leagueof NSW pets are micro-chipped, given theirinoculations, de-sexed and registered.

One of Project 40’s Consumer Advocates,Kim Ballard, has set up the Cranky CreaturesAssociation which aims to connect roughsleepers with these services for their pets.

The key to maintaining support to pets whohave been housed is to review their progressand assist their owners to care for them.This may involve developing an exerciseplan for the pet, provision of behaviourtraining and education about healthy andpositive discipline techniques. Project 40will do whatever it takes to maintain thehealth and positive participation of pets inthe tenant’s household.

Failure and LessonsLearnedThere have been failures from which wehave learnt difficult lessons. The most recent(and most harrowing) to date has been thecase of Jeff* who was housed successfullyfol lowing extended periods of roughsleeping and problematic drug use. Jeff isa young man who has achieved sobrietyand stability through great personal effortand courage. Jeff now maintains a part-time job and assists many other peopleexperiencing homelessness.

Jeff’s dog was young and had never beentra ined or prov ided wi th consistentdiscipline. Subsequently because of hisage and breed his behaviour was difficultfor Jeff to manage and the chaos that wascreated in the house was hard for Jeff tobear. The dog’s support plan involvedpaying a dog trainer to provide privatelessons to Jeff as well as an exercise regime.Things went well for a number of months.

However, Jeff eventually decided to put thedog down because of what he perceivedas its dangerous behaviour. This wasundertaken impulsively and without theknowledge of the service.

A number of factors contributed to thisterrible situation. Should we have been moreassertive and proactive and better observedthe warning signs? We now realise thatproviding support and care to a pet and itsowner should be seen as similar to providingsupport and care to a child in a household.At Project 40 we have learned a bitter lessonand we are determined incidents like thisshould never occur again.

The vulnerability factors demonstrated bythe target group for Project 40 need to befully taken into account when ensuring thatpets, as valued members of a household,are treated with the same care and attentionas other members of that household.

Pets have been shown to have therapeuticbenefits to people who are isolated,traumatised or ill and we believe they canbe a pivotal part of a person’s recovery.They have an important part to play in theprovision of supportive housing and in theinclusion and participation of the mostvulnerable in our society. ■* Not his real name.

14

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Ferreting Out a Solution: Jane’s StoryOne Department of Human Services –Achieving Great Client OutcomesBy Kirsty Carter, Manager, Service Integration and Sarah Acreman and Rebekah Woods, Service Integration Officers, Service Integration, Client Outcomes, North and West MetropolitanRegion, Department of HumanServices, Victoria

Jane’s Situation

Ferrets chewing through electr icalwiring is not a problem that staff from

the Victorian Department of Human Services(the department) deal with every day. But itdid become an issue for Jane, a middle agedwoman who has an intellectual disability.

Jane lives on her own but is kept in goodcompany by her rabbits, a dog and up to18 beloved ferrets, which keep making ameal of her wiring.

Jane came to t he a t t en t i on o f t hedepartment’s Service Integration team afterher public housing tenancy was placed atrisk in late 2010.

Jane is one of the tens of thousands ofV ic to r i ans l i v i ng i n pub l i c hous ingpropert ies which are managed andsupported by the department’s housingofficers. Like Jane, many of these clientshave significant intellectual, physical ormental health disabilities and often haveother complex needs. Providing thesecl ients with successful and effectivesupport is extremely challenging withouta sound foundation of service integrationinitiatives.

Jane lived with her parents until they passedaway some years ago. She has a brother,but they have limited contact. Jane had livedin independent accommodation for severalyears but when the department’s housingstaff visited they found that her ferrets hadentered a wal l cavity in her unit andchewed through the wiring. This created afire risk for both Jane and her neighbours.There were also no specific toilet or eatingareas for her animals, resulting in Jane’shome becoming extremely unhygienic.

During regular visits, the local CouncilRanger provided invaluable guidance inhelping Jane to manage the number of petsand their health. The Ranger helped to findhomes for some of the animals, gave Janetips on caring for her pets and helped herfind a vet to have them de-sexed. Jane wasalso receiving regular support from the Officeof the Public Trustee, which administeredher father’s estate. In addit ion to itstraditional role of managing funds andar rang ing pe r iod ic c l ean ing o f theproperty, Jane found a compassionate andpatient ear when she needed it.

Despite the assistance from Office ofHousing, the local Council and the Officeof the Public Trustee, Jane’s disability andcircumstances limited her ability to makethe linkages she needed between each ofher supports. For Jane’s long-term healthand wellbeing, an integrated web of careoptions was necessary to sustain her.

How Service IntegrationHelped Jane GetHer Needs Met

By the time the department’s ServiceIntegration team had become involved, Janefaced the possibility of eviction and waswithdrawing from the supports available toher. Her attachment to her pets was animportant factor in her wellbeing and theService Integration team recognised thisand made it a priority when working withher to avoid homelessness through eviction.

The Service Integration team consideredJane’s individual needs as a client andtargeted their intervention to assist her inthree ways.

First, they built a realistic, trusting relationshipwith Jane. This began with a lengthy phoneconversat ion which covered Jane’sconcerns about the ro le o f Serv iceIntegrat ion team, her safety and theinvolvement of another service provider inthe department. Jane agreed to allow twoof the department’s Service Integration team

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members, Rebekah and Sarah, to visit her.The next morning over coffee and cake ata local café which was a relaxed environmentfor Jane, Rebekah and Sarah discussedJane’s issues with her. Her anxieties aboutnew service providers abated and she invitedRebekah and Sarah into her home andintroduced them to her pets. Jane sharedher strong views about the supports sheneeds, and Rebekah and Sarah placedheavy emphasis on listening to her anddeveloping interventions which addressedher concerns.

Next, the team sought to address some ofJane’s immediate issues including her socialdisconnectedness and general health andhygiene. They purchased a mobile phone

as a temporary replacement for Jane’slandline that had become inoperative dueto ferrets chewing through the wiring. Therewas a cold snap, and as Jane did not havea pair of warm shoes and her feet werebecoming swollen and painful. So staffencouraged her to attend her generalp r a c t i t i o n e r , a n d m a d e s p e c i fi crecommendations about podiatry care andpurchase of footwear in referrals.

A ‘Ferret Kingdom’ cage, complete withhammocks, was purchased, so Jane wasable to confine her pets comfortably. As aresult of her efforts to provide better care,the local council became more flexible abouthow many ferrets she could keep.

Rebekah and Sarah then began building

connections between Jane’s various serviceproviders. She was very eager to have acase manager with whom she could speakto help her achieve her goals. Rebekah andSarah referred her to the department’sSocial Housing Advocacy and SupportProgram (SHASP), Disability Services andexternal case managers Advocacy Options,for additional support.

Assistance was also provided to help Janewith daily living skills, health appointments,relat ionship bui lding and communityconnectedness. Sensitivity to Jane’srelationships with her pets was a keyfactor in finding the right services andindividuals, and Jane is now supported bya case manager who has experience as aferret handler.

Over a six-month period, the ServiceIntegration team has coordinated Jane’ssupports. While progress has necessarilybeen slow and careful, there have beensome great outcomes for Jane as a resultof keeping her, the client, at the centre ofall interventions. Action to evict is nolonger proceeding, Jane has begun todevelop her living skills, cleaning of her homeis now a priority, her health has improvedand she has improved l inks with hercommunity … all with her furry friendsremaining in her home.

One DHS and ServiceIntegrationThe improvements in Jane’s life are atangible example of how the department’srenewed focus can assist clients achievegreat outcomes with better relationshipsbetween services.

The Service Integration team’s work to assistJane demonstrates how the department’sOne DHS approach can, for example, helpprevent homelessness. With time andtailored interventions which make the persontheir wishes and their needs the first priority,quality long-term outcomes can be achieved.For Jane, this has meant being able to stayin her home while continuing to love andcare for her pets which is so important forher wellbeing.

The department’s One DHS strategyfocuses on achieving successful clientoutcomes through an integrated servicedelivery model which place the client at thecentre of all of the its activities. The ServiceIntegration team has been formed to developand implement better ways of workingtogether to improve client outcomes. It aimsto meet the needs of the department’s mostcomplex clients, building on the work of theSupport for High Risk Tenancies Programand the Multiple and Complex NeedsProgram. This recognises the need toimprove coordination between services asservice providers have struggled to assistindividuals and families with needs arisingfrom multiple and complex social, family,cultural and health needs. ■

Contact:

Kirsty Carter 0421 053 830Sarah Acreman 0413 029 041Rebekah Woods 0428 344 338

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Pets of the Homeless: USABy Genevieve Frederick, Executive Director/Founder, Pets of the Homeless

Feeding Pets of the Homeless is anational nonprofit volunteer/member

organisation that provides pet food andveterinary care to the homeless and lessfortunate in local communities.

Mission StatementThrough the “Pets of the Homeless”program, we will do our part in helping toreduce hunger in pets belonging to thehomeless and the less fortunate and provideveterinary care for those pets in communitiesacross the country.

We be l ieve in the hea l ing power o fcompanion pets and of the human/animalbond which is very important to life.

Our actions will include the following:• Promote to veterinarians and pet related

businesses the importance of joiningthe program as a collection site;

• Speak out on the issue of pets ofhomeless and the disadvantaged;

• C a m p a i g n t o f o o d d i s t r i b u t i n gorganisat ions the importance ofdistributing pet food to the less fortunate;

• Provide grants to licensed veterinariansand other nonprofit organisations thatmeet our object ive to administerveterinary care to pets of the homeless,and

• Provide pet sleeping crates to homelessshelters.

This is a sample of the dozens of emailsthat we reply to each week.

From John in California:Although I am not homeless, I am joblessand also have five cats. I am finding it verydifficult to feed them with no income.

Do you or anyone else have any programsavailable for people like me? I have contactedthe humane society, Bestfriends.org, ASPCAand they all say they can’t help and I shouldask a supermarket for dented cans. I don’tthink so. I have supported every one of theseorganisations for many years and now thatmy own pets need help suddenly it is myown problem. Any ideas? I do not want tohave to give my cats up.

From Melissa:I have a friend who is close to losing herhome. I have been trying to help her keepher lights on but she has applied for disabilityand we do not know how long this willtake. Her son is supposed to be helping herpay her rent but has not kept up with it. Afew of her friends as well as myself havebeen helping her with pet food so she cankeep her three dogs but I truly don\’t knowhow much more we can do. Times are hardand my work is not always steady. If thereis any way she could get some help withthis I wi l l donate when mine and myhusband’s work picks back up.

From Jenna in New York:Hello! Found an article on the organisationin a pet magazine. I am a veterinarian withtime to spare and want to help out in anyway I can! I l ive in the heart of NYC(Manhattan, Upper East Side) and am willingto volunteer my time and services. Pleasecall or email me with any info!

From Carrie in Indiana:Hi there. I would love to help donate food.I l i v e n e a r a n a r e a t h a t h a s m a n yhomeless people and some of them havepets. I also work for a Vet clinic in NWIndiana. I would like to donate what foodI can and I would also like to hand it outto those in need. Let me know what I cando for you. I am motivated.

From Cherie:I have a Girl Scout troop of about eight ornine 5th graders that are working on a Serviceproject and since their passion is animals Iwould like to see if there was anything theycould do to assist you in your program. Ithought that through our Council we couldget food and baggie donations and thenperhaps spend the time packaging the dogfood and delivering it to a collection site. Ifthis is something that they could do couldyou please let me know so that we can furtherdiscuss it with them or perhaps even havesomeone come and speak to them aboutthe organisation. Thanks so much.

From Jessica in Texas:Hi, my name is Jessica I was wondering ifthere are any homeless shelters in Houston,Texas that allow pets? Thanks

From Vickie in Missouri:I am interested in receiving information aboutthe elementary school packet. Our schooldoes projects for the homeless in ourcommunity. I would love to possibly addthe pets to our service learning projects.Thank you for your love and devotion forthese beautiful souls.

From Heather in Georgia:We are a local pet food bank here in Georgia.We would love to be added to your list forCherokee and Cobb counties in Georgia.We want people to know there is help herefor them! Thank you for all you do!

From Lauren in North Carolina:I am a veterinarian. I am interested in yourorganisation and finding out how I canhelp and become involved. If you wouldsend me some information and a contactperson in my area I could contact. Thanksfor your efforts.

From Camille:I am very interested in becoming a volunteerto help the homeless people with their pets.I am a true dog lover, activist for rescuesand my passion is helping dogs. My dogsare rescues. Are there any sites in MilwaukeeWisconsin that I could contact to volunteermy services to distribute food or dogsupplies to?

From a woman in North Idaho:Hello, here is my story and why I want tohelp! I had to leave home at age 15 dueto extreme abuse at home. Life for me wasbetter being homeless and on the streetsthan it was being constantly abused bymy dysfunctional family. I struggled formany years afterwards and made a lot ofreally “bad” life choices because of whatI went through.

Now I am a 51 year old woman and I’ve beenin a difficult relationship for last 25 years withman who suffered brain damage for the past13 years. He is angry, abusive and irrational,but I made a promise I would be there forhim so I must stick to my promise! Anyway,I adopted an abused dog from a local shelterlast year and he has brought me so muchlove and joy; all that has always been missingfrom my life from people.

We currently live in North Idaho near BonnersFerry, in a house, so I’m not homelessa n y m o r e . B u t b e c a u s e o f m y l i f eexperiences, I sure know what it’s like tobe homeless, hungry, hopeless, andmentally ill and abused too! I can really feeland respect all these “homeless” folkswho have elected to not give up their pets!If I had had a dog when I was homeless,maybe I would have at least felt some loveand had more hope in my life as a kid.Anyway, I do not have a business and welive on a very low, (way below poverty level),income. I know I can’t actually start a dogfood distribution site at my home becauseit’s way out in the boonies and because Idon’t have a place of business.

But, I would like to know how I can getsomething going up in the Bonners Ferryarea to help the homeless folks here feedtheir animals. Up this way, also see a lot ofhomeless folks passing through town on toother areas, especially in the summer. Also,we have a lot of poor folks who have losttheir jobs because of the poor economyand lumber mill closures in this area. A lotof animals are showing up as strays becausefolks have lost their homes and just end upleaving their animals behind. Others arehomeless and trying to live in abandonedbuildings, vehicles and tents with theiranimals. I don’t know of any place here ahomeless person can pick up some petfood. Maybe you can either direct me tosomeone who is already doing this type ofthing in this area so I can help; or maybeyou can suggest how I can get somethingstarted here myself? I don’t have muchmoney, (we live on $600 a month), but Ihave some time and could donate a bag ortwo of dog food a month. Thank you. ■

Pets of the Homeless206 S. Division St., Suite 10Carson City, NV 89703Office: 775) 841.7463Fax: 775) 841.7466www.petsofthehomeless.orginfo@petsofthehomeless.org

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etsChapter 2:

Pets, Women, Familiesand Domestic Violence

Pets in Peril: Making the Connection BetweenDomesticViolence and Animal CrueltyBy Judy Johnson OAM, Former Manager, Eastern Domestic ViolenceService

In the past, the issue of family petsbelonging to women and chi ldren

escaping domestic violence was a majorconcern for the women and a problem forsupport agencies. Women living withviolence are often inhibited in their decision-making because of threats to the safety oft he i r pe t an ima l s . I n o t he r wo rds ,perpetrators of violence use threats or inflictactual physical harm to the pets in order tocoerce and control their partners to remainwithin a violent relationship.

In Victoria, women’s refuges were mainlycommunal models and were not designedto house the animals belonging to theirresidents. Women have been afraid to leavetheir animals behind when they seek shelterfor their family. As we know, pets are a much-loved part of the family. There simply wasnot a coordinated response to overcomethis barrier preventing women from leaving.

In1998, the Eastern Domestic ViolenceOutreach Service (now Eastern DomesticViolence Service, known as EDVOS)attempted to establ ish a foster careprogram for pets, but unfortunately it hada disastrous start, when the first pet to besheltered died from injuries previouslyinflicted by the perpetrator. We were notaware that the animal had been hurtbecause the injury was not obvious.Because of this experience we then decidedthat the animals needed to be housedwi th a p ro fess iona l an ima l we l fa reorganisation rather than in a volunteerfostering program. In order to attractsupport for this idea we had to demonstratethat there was a need for a Pet’s Program.

In 2001 EDVOS had the opportunity toestablish a different approach to domesticviolence. The Department of Human Servicesin the Eastern Region announced a fundingopportunity for new initiatives in respondingto domestic violence. The service system,for the previous 25 years, had been basedon the fact that women and children wouldleave the home. The effects of this forceddislocation from home were immediatepoverty and loss of all that is familiar. Thecriminal behaviour of the violent father wasignored and remained unchallenged — hecontinued to live in the family home whilsthis family was on the streets.

At the same time we were also trying to workout what to do about the pets. We realisedthat as well as trying to find housing forwomen and their children who were leavinghome, we were now committed to housetheir animals as well. Then the pennydropped! What on earth were we doing! Whynot remove the perpetrator instead? EDVOSsuccessfully wrote a submission detailingthis new direction and, with funding fromDHS, started to pursue the presumptionthat some women could safely remain in thehome if the perpetrator was removed. Manywomen have chosen this option. It has beena most successful initiative and has becomepart of social policy.

In 2001, I also decided to do a pilot studyover one month of women living in refugesin Victoria. Of the 28 respondents 84 percent reported currently having a pet.Forty-four per cent stated that theirpartner had killed or hurt their pets, a further66 per cent confirmed that there had beenthreats and 48 per cent of women saidthat concern for their animals’ welfare wasa major factor in their delay in seeking safetyin a refuge. These results mirrored thefindings of the Canadian Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)who had surveyed a group of women stayingin shelters in Ontario.

This study led to a partnership with AssociateProfessor Eleonora Gullone at MonashUniversity. Anne Volant conducted thisresearch as part of her graduate studies inpsychology at Monash University. ProfessorGrahame Coleman later joined the study inexploring the relationship between domesticviolence and animal abuse.

Two groups of participants were recruited,a d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e g r o u p a n d anon-domestic violence control group.Inclusion criteria for participants in thedomestic violence group of 102 womenrequired that part ic ipants access adomestic violence support agency (refugeor outreach service) and that they currentlyhad a pet, or had had a pet during theirmost recent abusive relationship. Thesecond group, the community sample alsoof 102 women, required participants tohave had at least one pet during theircurrent or most recent relationship, whichdid not include domestic violence.

Anne conducted the telephone interviewsand compiled the data detailing the storiesof violence. The women had been assuredthat their stories were confidential to thisparticular research project and thereforewould not be made available to otherresearchers. The data-set was held by Annefor the required period and has now beendestroyed. Our promise to the women whotold their stories and to their domesticviolence workers who trusted us are assuredthat the promise has been kept.

In brief, the study found that 53 per centof the women in violent relationships hadpets hurt or killed compared with 0 percent in the community sample. In answer

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to the question ‘Has your partner everthreatened to hurt or kill one of your pets?’,46 per cent of the women in the domesticviolence group said that their pets hadbeen threatened compared with six percent in the community sample.

As with North American and Canadianstudies, the Australian data demonstratea significant and strong link betweendomestic violence and animal abuse. Only33 women, living in crisis accommodationat the time of interview were asked if theyhad delayed leaving because of concernfor their pet’s welfare. Eleven women saidthat they had delayed seeking safety andin most instances had waited for more thaneight weeks.

This research has now been published(‘The Relationship Between DomesticViolence and Animal Abuse: An AustralianStudy’ by Volant, A.M., Johnson, J.A.,Gullone, E., and Coleman, G.J. Journalof Interpersonal Violence (Vol 23 No 9 pp1277–95, http://online.sagepub.com) andit is the first Australian research to examinethis connection.

Prior to and during the research withMonash, EDVOS continued to liaise withAnimal Aid to look after the pets. It was anin fo rma l re la t ionsh ip based on thegoodwil l between the two managers.Although it worked well it was decided toformalise the partnership by developingsome necessary paperwork and expandingthe program across the Eastern region. Ourearlier liaisons subsequently grew into thePets in Peril Program.

In August 2006, Frank Ascione who wasthen Professor of Psychology at Utah StateUniversity in the US and a world authorityon animal abuse, joined us in launchingthe Pets in Peril (PIP) Program. EDVOS,together with Animal Aid, now provide acoordinated sheltering program for the petsof women who have to leave their homes.Any woman in the Eastern region who isescaping domestic violence can contactEDVOS on 9259 4200 and use this resource.

There is a wonderful undercover networkof veterinary clinics that will accept andhouse a pet for 24 hours, free of charge,when contacted by EDVOS. When a womanis en route to a domestic violence serviceshe may decide, on the advice of EDVOS,to leave her pet with one of the participatingveterinary clinics rather than drive to theshelter. Animal Aid will then be notified ofthe whereabouts of the pet and will collectthe animal for boarding at their shelter.

As to the practicalities, the women arecharged only a minimal fee of $2.00 perday, cost price of a vaccination if necessaryand a veterinary check to ensure that theanimal is healthy. The length of stay is upto 28 days but this has to be flexiblegiven the difficulty the women have infinding accommodation.

Over the years a wonderful menagerie ofanimals has enjoyed the safety andhospitality of Animal Aid — the dogs wearpyjamas on cold and frosty nights! Thereare no visits by the family whilst the pets

are at the shelter because of securityconcerns and it would be very unsettlingfor the animals. The family can telephoneat anytime. Sometimes the family will begiven a photograph of their pet so that thewomen and kids no longer have to fret abouttheir pets and can look forward to the daywhen they are reunited.

Given the increasing awareness andrecognition of the connection betweendomestic violence and animal cruelty petabuse is now included as an indicator ofviolence in the Risk Assessment Framework.The results of the Monash study were alsog i ven to the V ic to r i an Law Re fo rmCommission when it was planning changesto the Crimes (Family Violence) Act 1987,so it was very heartening to see the inclusiono f an ima l abuse in the New Fami l yViolence Protection Act 2008.

Family violence now includes the followingbehaviour: ‘causing or threatening to causethe death of, or injury to, an animal, whether

or not the animal belongs to the familymember to whom the behaviour is directedso as to control, dominate or coerce thefamily member’. It follows on that it is acondition included in a family violenceintervention order — ‘prohibit ing therespondent from damaging the protectedperson’s property, including an animal’.

The connection between domestic violenceand animal cruelty is now firmly establishedfollowing research here in Australia andoverseas and it is now understood that thesafety of pets is a major obstacle for womenleaving a violent relationship. The Pets inPeril Program is a most valued resourcefor the women since it addresses, in a mostpractical way, violence against women andthe protection of children and their animalsfrom harm. Why then is the Pets in PerilProgram st i l l very much a volunteerprogram? The need has been demonstratedand it is now up to the Victorian Governmentto fund similar programs across the State. ■

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etsSafe Beds for Pets: The Forgotten Fallout from Domestic ViolenceBy Karen Thorne, RSPCA NSW and Jennie Churchill, Australian Common GroundAlliance (and veterinarian)

We lived a tortuous three years ofconstant physical, verbal and financialabuse. When you finally leave adomestic violence situation you leavewith nothing. I lost my job …everything was in his name, the cars,the house, the money, even ourbeloved dogs. After yet another courtappearance we were given two days toremove ourselves from the family homeor be prosecuted with squatting. ... Iwas given no choice but to agree tohim having the dogs. I consoled myselfthat all three would remain togetherand at least be looked after.

All three did not remain together, andwere not looked after. He returnedonce to collect Elmo, and Gemmaand Zoe were left in the backyard ofan empty house for two weeks in 35degree heat. I returned every daytwice a day to feed and water thembut was petrified he would comewhen I was there.

I was emotionally, physically, mentallyand financially exhausted. I wasseverely distressed about the dogsand repeated requests to him to lookafter them were ignored. I … rangevery animal rescue, shelter, adopt apet and kennel within a 100 miles;no-one would take them. Then I rangthe RSPCA shelter at Rutherford.

That is when I was given the numberof an angel, in the form of Kelly, theSafe Beds for Pets coordinator. Thetruly amazing thing (is) that someoneyou have never met can work sotirelessly for the welfare of yourself,your children and your dogs.

Safe Beds saved our sanity, and itsaved our lives. What they did for us,we will never be able to repay thedebt.

Excerpts from a speech delivered by a SafeBeds for Pets client to 300 people at anRSPCA function. The whereabouts of Elmo,the third dog, are still unknown.

As family members, companion animals,like women and children, are vulnerable

to abuse. When one in three women acrossAustralia suffer domestic violence, when itis the primary reported issue in childprotection reports in NSW and domestichomicides account for 34 per cent of allmurders in NSW, it is not surprising thatorganisations such as the RSPCA in NSWhave developed programs focused on caringfor vulnerable companion animals.

The links between human abuse and animalabuse are well documented, as is thepred i l ec t ion fo r domest ic v io lenceperpetrators to focus on the most vulnerable— and that can mean the family pet. In 2000in the US, the Society for the Prevention ofCruelty to Animals surveyed a group ofwomen in Ontario women’s shelters:

• 44 per cent had pets abused orkilled by their partners;

• 42 per cent had pets threatened bytheir partners, and

• 43 per cent said concerns over theirpet’s safety prevented them leavingsooner.

Professor Frank Ascione was the first toexamine the pet abuse in the lives of batteredwomen. In a 1998 study of clients at abattered women’s shelter in Utah, 71 percent of the women with companion animalsreported that their pets had been threatened,abused, or killed by a male partner. Onewoman in five delayed seeking shelter dueto her concern for her pet’s safety.

In Australia, almost one in three womenexperiencing domestic violence (DV) delayleaving an abusive relationship because offear for their pets. Refuges are communal,crisis-driven, and rarely have facilities forhousing pets.

Safe Beds for PetsIn 2004, the RSPCA NSW launched SafeBeds for Pets with the aim of arrangingsecu re and a f f o rdab l e eme rgencyaccommodation and veterinary care for petsunder threat. Safe Beds for Pets helpsempower women and their children toescape domestic violence. The service isavailable to anyone who is a victim of intimatepartner domestic violence, including menand victims of same sex DV.

Victims mostly contact the RSPCA directlyor are referred through the RSPCA’spartnerships with state-wide domesticviolence support services and, on average,10 to 15 companion animals, mainly dogs

and cats, are housed each week acrossNSW. A small number of private veterinarianshave committed to providing short term crisisaccommodation and veterinary services.

In the 2009/2010 financial year the programassisted 122 companion animals, with upto 54 animals in the program at any onetime. This year, 76 animals have been helpedin the first four months.

RSPCA NSW Programs DevelopmentManager, Karen Thorne says, “Safe Bedsfor Pets is different to other programs. Theprogram’s dedicated staff are often the firstpoint of contact for women experiencingDV. They are trained to respond to victimswith empathy and understanding and tohelp them access help from the appropriatehuman welfare service. They also providepractical assistance for problems related todomestic violence such as mental healthand homelessness.”

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Partnerships have been formed with DVvictim support agencies such as theWomen’s Domest ic V io lence Cour tAdvocacy Service and women’s refuges.This creates awareness of the programand acts as a two-way referral pathway.DV agencies can refer cl ients to theRSPCA, and RSPCA staff can help clientsto access the right services.

Thorne notes that one of the challengesfor the RSPCA is convincing seniorhuman services staff in governmentdepartments that managing the issue ofvulnerable companion animals is worththeir time.

RSPCA staff attend conferences, workshopsand DV agency meetings to emphasise theimportance of the relationship betweenpeople and their pets and why it can bedifficult to assist a human client without alsoacknowledging their pets also need care.

“We tell them it’s a relationship that can’tbe ignored, that we have clients whohave told us their pet is the only thing theyhave to live for and that they contemplatesuicide because they can’t be with theirpets,” says Thorne.

Clifton Flynn, a US researcher, agrees.He maintains clinicians need to respectthe relationship women have with theirc o m p a n i o n a n i m a l s , a n d t h a tcounsellors need to understand anotherfamily member has been left behind,one who may be at risk for abuse and/orneglect , and that both woman andanimal are l ikely to be suffering as aresult of their separation.

Another challenge, when women are leavinga refuge, is to secure housing where petsare welcome. This is frequently problematic,adds to the stress and delays the reunionof the family and their pets.

How the Program WorksAll pets entering the program are given afull veterinary examination, de-sexing isoffered at a discounted fee, and otherveterinary care provided as required. Clientssign a contract and must commit toweekly contact with the RSPCA. They areoffered a minimum of two weeks emergencycare for their pets and then the ongoingneed is assessed, often in consultation withcase workers, and the client’s safety andmental health, as well as that of their children,is always the primary consideration. Eachcase i s i nd i v i dua l l y a ssessed andarrangements made to extend a pet’s stayin the program if required.

The RSPCA’s goal is to always reuniteowners with their pets as quickly as possible.While the pet is in the care of the RSPCA,every effort is made to ensure ownersmaintain a bond with their pet through phonecall updates and emailed photos. Childrenare given soft toy animals that resembletheir pets while they are separated.

The People InvolvedThe RSPCA is aware that dealing with DVcan also place other people at risk. Theorganisation has developed a strict set ofprotocols governing the involvement of theirs ta f f . Safety and confident ia l i ty areparamount for al l part ies, and a r iskassessment is done for each animal (witha focus on the perpetrator).

For Safe Beds for Pets staff, as with humanwelfare workers, the issue of maintainingprofessional boundaries and avoidingcompassion fatigue is a real one. Staff canaccess debriefing with a mentor within theorganisation, and have monthly clinicalsupervision. ■

More Information

For more information about Safe Bedsfor Pets, contact Karen Thorne,RSPCA NSW, on (02) 9782 4488or email kthorne@rspcansw.org.au.

The RSPCA NSW also providesemergency facilities for the pets ofpeople affected by poverty, socialisolation, mental health problemsand homelessness.

ReferencesNSW Department of Community Services.

Commonwealth White Paper onHomelessness.

SAAP (Supported Accommodation AssistanceProgram) National Data Collection 2007/08Annual Report.

Battered women’s reports of their partners’and their children’s cruelty to animals. Frank R.Ascione, Journal of Emotional Abuse, 1,119–133 (1998).

Battered Women and Their AnimalCompanions: Symbolic Interaction BetweenHuman and Nonhuman Animals. Clifton P.Flynn, Society and Animals 8:2 (2000).

Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse. JudyJohnson, Eastern Domestic Violence OutreachService, Victoria.

Monash University: The RelationshipBetween Family Violence and Animal Abuse:An Australian Study. Volant, Johnson,Gullone and Coleman, Journal ofInterpersonal Violence 2008.

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etsWe Made it HomeThe betrayed, traumatised look in their eyes is finally gone.The relationship between domestic and family violence andpet maltreatment: do we need more pet friendly options forwomen and children experiencing homelessness?By Aileen Solowiej, Communications Officer, Homelessness Australia

“Sometimes there’s not enough forthe both of us that day,” he said.“But I make sure she always eats.She has to. She’s what keeps mesane out here.”

“Having her has basically given us areason not give up,” he said.“Hopefully in the next few weeks, bothof us will be into housing, and thiswhole horrible thing will be over for us.”

From http://edition.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/ 05/10/

homeless.pet.care/index.html

The father of a 4-year-old girlbludgeoned the family’s kitten in frontof his daughter and his wife. He thenput his daughter in her bedroom withthe remains of the kitten, unscrewedthe light bulb from the ceiling, andlocked his daughter in the darkenedroom for the night. The next morning,he forced his daughter to clean upthe remains of the kitten.

(Ascione, 2005a, p. 131)

Many Australian families enjoy theirfamily pets. However in the situation

of interpersonal violence within a family ape t can a l so be a ta rge t o f abuse .Experiencing domestic violence causesmultiple layers of physical, emotional,financial and psychological effects.1 Addmaltreatment and sometimes death of acompanion animal to the experience andthe complexity of the issues sometimesdetermines decisions for women andchildren to remain or delay leaving anabusive environment.

If this is the case: why? Is it because shelters,temporary housing, friends and familycannot provide for the family pet in a crisissituation? Or perhaps the trauma of leavingthe pet is too great for the a l readytraumatised women and children? Perhapsthe woman simply does not want to leave.The latter was the situation in this author’sexperience (see personal story). This articledelivers no simple answers as any violencetowards woman and children requiresholistic support for varying circumstancesincluding provision for the much loved pet.

Domestic and FamilyViolence and Pet AbuseWhat is important to point out at this stageis that pet abuse is quite often intended asa form of psychological violence on childrenand women. The pet abuse can thereforehappen before, during or post interpersonalviolence. It is also crucial to mention thatto date the statist ics are sl im on theco-occurrence of pet maltreatment anddomestic violence as women do not alwaysreport domest ic abuse to po l ice orcommunicate it to others,2 nor if they doreport the subject of pet abuse, it is usuallyverbal and not documented.

In an Australian study in 2008 of the 102par t i c ipan ts who had exper ienceddomestic violence, 53 per cent reportedpet abuse.3 In an international study 61per cent of surveyed Ontario women whohad left their abusive partner stated thattheir partners had brutalised or killed apet.4 It is highly likely therefore that by2011 — with a steady increase over theyears of domestic and family violence5

and an increase in pet ownership — ‘Indeveloped nations, approximately half ofhousehold environments contain pets’,6

some pet maltreatment occurs withviolence in the home.

The Effects ofWitnessing DomesticViolence and Pet AbusePet ownership has touted enormousb e n e fi t s f o r b e t t e r p h y s i c a l a n dpsychological wellbeing.7 So what happensw h e n a c h i l d w i t n e s s e s s o c i a l l yunacceptable treatment of their companionanimal? Many studies in western countrieshave proven a correlation between humanabuses leading to animal abuses andintergenerational adoption of the behaviour.For example, a child witnessing the animalabuse may go on to commit abuse onpeople and animals.

Ascione et al (1997)8 says that:

‘...witnessing parent and pet abusemay compromise children’spsychological adjustment, increasetheir propensity for interpersonalviolence (via observational learningand/or identification with the

aggressor), and make children’scruelty to animals more likely toemerge as a symptom of theirdistress.’

Ercoline (2004) says that the link betweenviolence toward animals and violence towardhumans is well-established. Individuals whostart out abusing animals go on to abusinghumans nearly 100 per cent of the time.9

In a Japanese study (2010) of maltreatedchildren who witnessed animal abuse in thehome, found there was a male genderpropensity towards committing animalabuse later in life.10

Leaving the Home andFamily Pet

“Those who can’t understand whysomeone would stay in an abusivesituation for the sake of an animal failto understand what an important roleanimals can play in people’s lives’,says Katherine McGowan, executivedirector of the Animal ProtectiveAssociation of Missouri, ‘The animalmay be a victim’s only source ofcomfort and unconditional love”.11

Domestic and family violence sends extremenegative messages and feelings, frequentlynegating healthy feelings of love andnurturing. A family pet is often the antithesisof the violence experience hence in themiddle of the chaos the pet can createsalvation, serenity, normality. So to leave aliving innocent animal with the perpetratorand to venture away from famil iar i tysometimes seems morally wrong.

This may be a difficult concept for peoplewho have not experienced domesticviolence, for those who do not have petso r w h o h a v e n o t w a t c h e d a n i m a lmaltreatment especially while children arepresent. Throughout research for this articlethere were references to children makingsounds mothers have never heard before,when witnessing their pet being brutalised.The situation is piled with complexities.

Leaving with the Petand HomelessnessThe best case scenarios for leavingviolence are to have the abuser takenaway or the person being abused to be

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removed from the situation. Domestic andfamily violence is the leading cause ofhomelessness. Technically the moment awoman is forced from her own doorstepthrough abuse or threatening abuse sheno longer i s home. Somet imes thesituation is such that women and childrenhave an opportunity to jump into theircar and drive to the nearest police stationor motel or family or fr iend’s house.Does the pet come too?

While a friend may be accommodating ata moment’s notice women’s crisis supportservices routinely do not accept pets. Andt h i s i s w i t h g o o d r e a s o n — c r i s i saccommodation is for humans and there islittle room for materials as people stay shortt e r m . W h i l e a f e w t e m p o r a r yaccommodation services do take small petsthe best course of action in Australia is forthe pet to be placed in boarding kennels orfoster care. RSPCA Australia has a policy(5.3) that states:

The RSPCA, where resources allow,aims to protect the welfare of animalsat risk through domestic violence byproviding appropriate emergency careand support.

Some animal hospitals such as the LortSm i th i n Nor th Me lbou rne p rov ideemergency boarding for pets of womenworried for the safety of their pets andneeding to escape a violent situation, andfor the pets of people experiencing or facinghomelessness (which includes temporaryaccommodation or hospitalisation).12

RSPCA UK has PetRetreat, which is aprogram in specific locations aroundEngland, that temporarily foster animalswhen there is domestic violence abuse.13

The situation is much the same in the UnitedStates with several programs and animalshelters assisting with temporary petaccommodation. What is notably differentthroughout the US is the slight increase inwomen’s shelters accepting pets.

If a woman leaves her home to negotiate amyriad of homelessness terrains: primary,secondary and tertiary homelessness,14 itseems that if a pet was involved that crossreporting systems could assist. Fawcett andGullone (2002) specify the importance ofcooperative efforts among domesticviolence specialists, child welfare agencies,law enforcement agencies and animalwelfare organisations. These cooperativeefforts can be used to develop cross-training,cross-reporting, and multidisciplinaryresponse teams.15

Most researchers on the topic of domesticviolence and animal cruelty advocate forcross-reporting. Finding an animal abusedcan sometimes lead to layers of humanabuse within the home and vice-versa.Bear in mind though that cross reportingrequires crucial adherence to privacy andprotection. Temporary pet foster care andsubsidised kennel fees should be a given.However, in a situation of domestic andfamily violence and homelessness, aswomen and children do not need anyadditional trauma in their lives. And so Ileave you with my true story. ■

Footnotes1. Chrisler, J C and Ferguson, S (2006),

Violence against Women as a Public HealthIssue, Annals of the New York Academy ofSciences, 1087: 235–249 doi:10.1196/annals.1385.009.

2. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006,Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2005(reissue), catalogue no. 4906.0, ABS,Canberra ABS http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4906.0/

3. Volant, Anne M, Johnson, Judy A, GulloneEleonora and Coleman, Grahame J, TheRelationship Between Domestic Violenceand Animal Abuse: An Australian Study, at:DOI: 10.1177/0886260508314309, JournalInterpersonal Violence 2008 23: 1277,originally published online 6 March 2008,p. 1279.

4. Ontario SPCA’s Provincial Anti-ViolenceCoalition, Women’s Shelter Survey, 1999,http://www.ontariospca.ca/4-familyvio.shtml

5. Ontario, 1999, ibid

6. Family Pet Ownership during Childhood:Findings from a UK Birth Cohort andImplications for Public Health ResearchInternational Journal of EnvironmentalResearch and Public Health 2010, ISSN1660–4601, www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

7. Family Pet Ownership, ibid, 2010

8. Ascione, Frank R. Ph.D, Weber, Claudia V.M.S., and Wood, David S, The Abuse ofAnimals and Domestic Violence: A NationalSurvey of Shelters for Women Who AreBattered, Utah State University, Logan,

Utah Originally published in Society andAnimals, 1997, 5(3), p.

9. Ercoline, Erin from Newman, Sarah,Domestic violence strikes pets, too; 2004St. Louis Post — Dispatch, p. 1.

10. Sakiko Yamazaki, A Comparison ofMaltreated Children and Non-MaltreatedChildren on Their Experiences withAnimals— A Japanese Study 2010, p. 62.

11. Newman, Sarah, Domestic violence strikespets, too; 2004, St. Louis Post — Dispatch,p. 2.

12. Lort Smith Animal Hospital, CommunityOutreach, Emergency Boarding,http://www.lortsmith.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=410

13. http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/helpandadvice/petretreat

14. Chamberlain Chris; MacKenzie, DavidCounting the Homeless 2006, AustralianCensus Analytic Programme catalogue no.2050.0, ABS, 2008, p. 29.

15. Fawcett, Nicholas R, Gullone, Eleonora,Johnson, Judy, ADFVC Newsletter March2002, The relationship between animalabuse and domestic violence: implicationsfor animal welfare agencies and domesticviolence organisations, Department ofPsychology Monash University; EasternDomestic Violence Outreach Service, p. 4.

* Article title “We made it home...gone.” from:Ontario Veterinary Medical Association’sSafePet program: http://www.ovma.org/pet_owners/safepet.html

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I think my pet dogs knew whenviolence was about to occurin the house before I did. Theyran to their favourite far-awayspot in the back yard. In the’70s and ’80s, from 7 to 16years of age, I experiencedliving with a father who at leastonce a month created chaos:screaming, throwing dishesthen chairs, threatening verballythen physica l ly , then thepunches, dragging, throwingagainst the wall and finallykicking all on my mum, thendog one and dog two. I neverreceived the physical side but I saw andfelt it all. The dog (photo) was in his faraway spot and once I made my waythrough the maze of debris without beingnoticed I joined my hairy companion tohug for our mutual nurturing. SometimesDad would come out of the house andlaunch his tirade on the dog. As a minorthis seemed unforgivable because mymother could run away, the dog couldn’t.And the yelps and yowls and then measking Dad to stop over and over. Wellyou get the picture.

Mum was a business owner and thehouse held our business so she refusedto leave the home. It made no sense toher when our whole livelihood was at this

address. Back in the ’70s and ’80s thepolice response to domestic violencewas slow and unproductive. So westayed with the perpetrator.

Now as an adult I can look back at themother and child and envisage moreoptions and alternatives to this situation.I know for certain if we had to hurriedlyleave the home in the ’70s and ’80s thedog would’ve stayed behind. What isdifferent today are the mobile phone callsI can make to have the violence removedfrom the home or once we are out of thehouse have the dog placed in foster caretill the situation is resolved. Only then canthe traumatised look in our eyes dissolveback into happiness.

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etsFamily Violence: What About Pets?By Lisa Sandy, Support Worker, Family Violence Outreach Program, Salvation Army Crisis Services

Aus t r a l i a i s a pe t l o v i ng na t i on ,6 3 p e r c e n t o f t h e 7 . 5 m i l l i o n

households in Australia own pets — one ofthe highest incidence of pet ownership inthe wor ld (RPSCA Knowledge base,updated 2010). When fleeing family violence,concern for pets is understandably a highpriority for many women.

During psychologically traumatic times,companion animals provide emotionalcomfort to both women and children, theirrole within the family is an important one,91 per cent of pet owners report feeling‘very close’ to their pets, further reinforcingpets as an integral member of the family(Travers et al, 2009). As such, women willoften remain in violent and dangeroussituations rather than leave their pet behindwith an abuser (Allchin, 2008).

Women may already fell ‘guilty’ about theprospect of taking their children away fromthe family home and their father. To thenbe faced with the prospect of leaving behinda much loved family pet exacerbates thisguilt and, potentially, the trauma for thechildren and the woman.

For many women in violent relationshipsanimal directed violence is being used asan additional form of psychological abuse,w i t h t he i n t en t i on o f i n t im ida t i ng ,controlling, frightening and/or distressingwomen and children (Degue, Dilillo andInterpers, 2009). This is recognised in thefamily violence sector and acknowledgedi n t h e s t a t e - w i d e C o m m o n R i s kAssessment F ramework (CRAF ) , aVictorian Government initiative.

Research in the USA, Canada and Australiahas shown that between 20 and 48 per cento f women de layed leav ing a fami l yviolence situation because of fear for theirpet’s safety. An Australian study found that44 per cent of those abused women

reported that their partner had killed orhurt pets and 52 per cent of abusive partnershad threatened to harm a pet (Hole, 2005).

In a perfect world women would be able toflee family violence with their pets. However,current shelter, crisis and transitional housingpolicy prevent this.

Projects addressing the link betweenviolence to humans and vio lence toanimals within Austral ian include theRSPCA NSW Safe Beds for Pets programand Queensland’s RSPCA Breaking theCycle of Abuse project. More locally, inVictoria, the Pets in Peril domestic violenceservice is an alliance between Animal Aidand the Eastern Domest ic V io lenceService to provide emergency boardingfor the pets of famil ies f leeing familyviolence. Whilst the organisation is open9am–5pm, a number o f ve t c l i n i csassociated with the project act as a dropoff point to enable a 24 hour service(Allchin, 2008). A similar service is offeredby Lort Smith Animal Hospital.

This particular service offers emergencyboarding, not only for pets of women fleeingfamily violence, but also for pets of peopleexperiencing or facing homelessness(Lort Smith, 2008).

What is apparent is the need for thedevelopment of a nationwide strategyallowing the simultaneous relocation of awoman, her children and their pet(s) froma violent home (Volant et al, 2008). ■ReferencesAllchin, B, 2008, ‘Coldstream animal shelter arefuge from violence’, Lilydale and Yarra ValleyLeader. 28th June, retrieved on 2nd May 2011http://lilydale-yarra-valley-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/coldstream-animal-shelter-a-refuge-from-violence/

Degue S, Dilillo D, Interpers J, 2009,“Co-Occurring Violence Toward Children,Partners, and Pets Animal Cruelty a ‘’RedFlag’’ for Family Violence? : Investigating”,Journal of interpersonal violence, Vol 24retrieved 2nd May 2011 http://www.unl.edu/psypage/ fvi/documents/DeGue-DiLillo_2009.pdf

Hole, M, 2005, ‘New good practice databaseentry-Safe beds for pets’, Australian domesticand family violence clearing house,Newsletter 21, retrieved 28th April 2011,www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/.../Newsletter_21.doc

Lort Smith Animal Hospital, 2008, “CommunityOutreach, Emergency Boarding”, retrieved on2nd May 2011, http://www.lortsmith.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=410

Travers C, Dixon A, Thorne K and Spicer, K,2009, “Cruelty towards the family pet: a surveyof women experiencing domestic violence onthe Central Coast, New South Wales” Medicaljournal Australia, Vol 191 (7) retrieved 2nd May2011, http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/191_07_051009/letters_051009_fm-3.html

Volant AM, Johnson JA, Gullone E, ColemanGJ, Interpers J, 2008 “The relationshipbetween domestic violence and animal abuse:An Australian Study”, Journal of interpersonalviolence, Vol. 23 retrieved 3rd May 2011http://www.sagepub.com/bartolstudy/articles/Volant.pdf

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Sheltering Animals and Families Together(SAF-T) ProgramTM:Animals, the Forgotten Victims in the Crossfire of Domestic ViolenceBy Allie Phillips, J.D1

It was March 2011 and Barbara2 wassafely at a family violence shelter inCalifornia along with her three childrenand two dogs. Barbara choked backsoft sobs as she described how herhusband frequently beat two of hersons with a belt or paddle. He wouldthen turn on Barbara and slap her faceso hard that she saw stars. Over theyears, the attacks became more brutaland her husband progressed toabusing the three family dogs. He hadsexual intercourse with one of the dogsin front of Barbara; she was paralysedin fear and unable to help the dog.Although he kicked the dogsfrequently, one day he went too far.Riley strayed out of the yard and herhusband “lost it”. With her lip quiveringin an attempt to hold back the tearsand rage, Barbara explained how herhusband grabbed one of his guns,took Riley to the back yard, and shother dead in front of Barbara and thechildren. When the children wailed outin agony, he slapped the oldest son sohard that he himself began to cry.When her husband took off in theirtruck, she packed up the kids and thetwo remaining dogs and headed forsafety. Lucky for Barbara, she foundher way to one of a small number ofU.S. family violence shelters that allowpets on site.

It is stories like Barbara that prompted meto create a national initiative and written

guidelines for family violence shelters tohouse pets on-site. While working as aprosecuting attorney in Michigan in themid-1990s, one particular case opened myeyes to animals caught in the crossfire offamily violence. Unable to help one victimwho returned to her abuser to protect hert w o d o g s , a n d w a t c h i n g h e r w a l khand-in-hand out of the courtroom with herabuser, I was plagued with the belief thathousing pets with their families at domesticviolence shelters was an easy conceptand one that was long overdue.

When I became employed with the NationalDistrict Attorneys Association (NDAA) justoutside of Washington D.C. in 2003, I beganto thoroughly study the linkage betweenanimal abuse and violence to people andconducted trainings nationally to human

protection and prosecution professionals onthe need to recognise and take animal abuseseriously. After all, if someone intentionallyharms an animal, who will be next?

It quickly became clear to me that criminaljustice professionals were not addressingan ima l s caugh t i n f am i l y v i o l encesituations and did not have the tools orresources to help. Learning that shelterswere not recognising that pets need toevacuate abusive homes with their humanfamily members, and over a decade afterthat fateful court case in Michigan, I tookaction in hopes of showing the simplicityo f on-s i t e pe t hous ing to she l t e r sacross the United States.

While employed as the Vice President ofPub l ic Po l icy a t Amer ican HumaneAssociation, I launched the Pets andWomen’s Shelters (PAWS) Program® inFebruary 2008 along with the PAWSProgram Start-Up Guide that outlined howto implement the program. At the time, therewere only four known family violence sheltersin the U.S. allowing pets on-site and therewas no common network or online portallisting shelters that allowed pets on-site.With approximately 2,500 shelters in theU.S., this situation was unacceptable. Thefoundation of the program recognised thehuman-animal bond and that many peoplerefuse to be separated from their pets during

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etsa time of crisis. This program celebratedthat bond and understood that when a familyhas lost everything, having the family petwithin arms reach can provide immediatecomfort and healing when life may seemgrim and uncertain.

In the first two-and-one-half years, theprogram grew to over sixty shelters allowingpets on-site with more wishing to come onboard. A webpage listing the shelters servedits purpose by showing families whatshelters would accept their beloved pet(s).Donations began to flow in which wereturned in to small start-up grants to helps h e l t e r s p a y f o r t h e s u p p l i e s a n dconstruction costs to provide on-sitehousing. American celebrity Paula Abdulsigned on as the spokesperson for PAWSand The Today Show, America’s top-ratedmorning news show, featured the program.And in October 2010, the first NationalPAWS Day kicked off with 17 sheltersparticipating simultaneously in a dog-walkfundraiser to raise awareness and funds tosupport their on-site pet housing program.

While PAWS was gaining notoriety, evengarnering interest from shelters in othercounties, American Humane discontinuedthe program in September 2010 and Isubsequently departed and have sincereturned to NDAA. However, I could notallow this program to die a prematuredeath when so much progress had beenmade in a short time period. Knowing thatshelters needed guidance in implementingan on-site pet housing program, andthat families needed access to the listingof pet-fr iendly shelters, I decided tocontinue this life-saving work under thenew name of Sheltering Animals andFamilies Together (SAF-T) Program.

In collaboration with the National ResourceCent re on Domest ic V io lence, thatorganisation has pledge its support for theSAF-T Program. The initial goal is to givethe SAF-T Program a home base, whilemy long-term goal is to grow the programto become its own non-profit organisation.T h e fi r s t t a s k w a s t o r e - l i s t t h eparticipating shelters online for families toaccess. The listing of shelters allowingon-site pet housing can now be found athttp://alliephillips.com/?page_id=526.

To my surprise, I immediately noticed thathundreds of users were finding their wayto that page every month. I also continueto provide guidance and resources toshelters interested in implementing theSAF-T Program, even assisting thoseshe l te rs s t i l l imp lement ing under aformer-PAWS grant to make sure that theprocess is smooth. And women in need arestill finding their way to me in hopes of gettingto safety with their pet(s).

The concept for the SAF-T Program is this:if you keep it simple, you will implement ina short amount of time with limited expenses;whereas if you complicate the process withex t ravagant des igns , cons t ruc t ionprocesses, and burdensome policies, it willtake many months, sometimes years, andexcessive expenditures of money beforeyour on-site program is ready to take its

first client. If you are in a heavily populatedmetropolitan area, you may require a morecomplicated set up. However, most sheltersare smaller operations and would do bestto follow the simple approach. Of the severaldozen shelters that I have consulted throughthe process, most opted to keep it simpleand were able to implement within a fewmonths with only a few thousand dollars.

There are three housing systems in theSAF-T Program:

1. Place the pets directly in theresidential rooms with their families;

2. Locate a room within the shelter thatcan transform into an indoor kennel.Within that room, place large animalcrates to house the pets, or

3. Build an outdoor kennel in thebackyard of the shelter.

The backyard kennels are often a smallbuilding or shed that contains crates for thepets, proper heating/cooling, and an areawhere dogs can run and play with their family.

Three of the primary concerns about housingpets on-site have been addressed in theSAF-T Program:

Allergies to Pets

For shelters that have non-carpeted floorsand non-centralised heating/cooling, it canbe easier to place pets directly in theresidential rooms without worrying aboutpet dander invading other parts of the shelter.For shelters that have a separate room asan indoor kennel that can be equipped withits own air filtration system that can alsoalleviate allergy concerns. However, thebackyard kennel completely eliminatesallergy concerns because the pets are notallowed inside the shelter.

Fear of Pets

For residents or shelter staff that are afraidof certain pets or worried about being bittenor scratched, the SAF-T Program policiesclear up those concerns. For shelter staffthat are resistant to the idea of pets beingon-site, that is a good opportunity todiscover why and you may find out that thestaff person had a negative experience withan animal that can be resolved. With staffor residents who are fearful of pets, theSAF-T Program promotes that only thefamily has interaction with the pet. The familyis responsible for walking the dog, cleaningthe litter box, and providing food, water andTLC while the pet is on-site. Although aSAF-T Program manager should be in placeto coordinate the program, no shelterresident, and only approved shelter staff,should interact with the pets. This will avoidany issue with stressed pets biting orscratching someone that they view as astranger. For pets that are inside theresident’s room, those pets should not beallowed to roam free in the shelter andshould remain in the room at all times unlessbeing taken outside for a walk.

Funding to Maintain the Program

People who love animals can be generousdonors and are likely an untapped resourcefor a family violence shelter. Shelters areencouraged to advertise that they accept

family pets on-site, to create a wish list ontheir website of pet-related items needed,and to feature stories of families and petsthat benefitted from the program. Pairingup with the local animal shelter for jointfundraiser is also beneficial because theanimal shelters want to avoid taking inpets of domestic violence and are generallysupportive of the SAF-T Program. Bypublicising your pet-friendly shelter, peoplein the community who love animals will beginto donate to the program, which will helpto purchase supplies, food, and evenprovide veterinary care for animals needingmedical attention.

The PAWS Start-Up Guide, and the newlyupdated SAF-T Manual (which is anticipatedto be released in summer 2011), addressesthese issues to give shelters the information,tools and resources needed to successfullyimplement and maintain an on-site housingprogram. The Guide also addresses legalissues, zoning issues, partnering with ananimal shelter and veterinarian, fundraising,and even includes sample forms.

While those people who love animals mayfind it difficult to understand why familyv io lence she l te rs a re on ly recent l yrecognising that pets are part of the familyand can be targets of domestic violence, weare now at a tipping point in the United Stateswhere a small number of shelters are pushingthe movement to make on-site housing ofpets mainstream. For people like Barbarawho had children and pets to protect, theSAF-T Program is available as a resourceto provide step-by-step guidance on howto legally and simply allow families to safelyescape abusive homes with their pets. Tolearn more about this program, please visithttp://alliephillips.com/?page_id=526. ■

Footnotes

1. Allie Phillips is an author, attorney andadvocate for protecting vulnerable victimsand promoting human-animal interactions.She is the founder of the Sheltering Animalsand Families Together (SAF-T) Program™(formerly known as the Pets and Women’sShelters (PAWS) Program®). She is aformer prosecuting attorney who works forthe National District Attorneys Associationspecialising on the linkage of animal abuseto violence against people. She was theVice President of Public Policy and VicePresident of Human-Animal StrategicInitiatives for American HumaneAssociation. She has over 17 years’experience working with child abuse anddomestic violence victims, over 10 yearshelping abused and abandoned animals,and is a nationally-recognised author andtrainer on animal abuse and its linkage tohuman violence. Ms Phillips is licensed topractice law in Michigan and Maryland. Shehas conducted over 150 trainings nationallyand has authored over 45 publications onthese topics, including two recent bookpublications on animal protection issues.She is on the steering committee of theNational Link Coalition, Vice President ofNo Paws Left Behind (an organisation tohelp foreclosure animals), a council boardmember of the State Bar of Michigan’sAnimal Law Section, and cat sheltervolunteer. To read more about Allie’s work,please visit www.alliephillips.com.

2. Barbara’s name and the names of her dogshave been changed to protect her privacy.

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Chapter 3: Older People,

Homelessness and PetsTails of Friendship: Companion Animals and WintringhamBy Daniel Gray, Recreation Manager, Wintringham

Within Wintringham aged care serviceswe appreciate the large number of

issues that accompany the owning andcaring for a pet in residential aged care orsocial housing programs. Whether it’s anew resident moving into one of ourresidential facilities or an existing clientwishing to buy or adopt a pet, the issuesare varied and can demand a great deal ofstaff time and company resources to simplymaintain or house the animal.

There are often barriers or perceived risksassociated with allowing an animal into afacility or home, particularly with regard tohygiene, occupational health and safetyand animal welfare. However, it is ourexperience that most of these can beso lved th rough the invo l vement o fcommunity support agencies and theadopt ion of s imple assessment andmonitoring processes.

We cannot ignore the immeasurable benefitsthat owning or being around companionanimals can bring to the lives of agedresidents and clients. These benefits areseen on a daily basis within our facilities andin client’s homes.

These benefits in particular include areduction in levels of anxiety. Quite oftenan instant and obvious visual response canbe observed. Research outcomes haveproduced substantial evidence to prove thatthis is true.

Pet care and ownership reinforces a role ofresponsibility, which for many is an importantvalue. It gives a sense of belonging andsense of purpose. Th is can inc ludesomething as simple as being involved withorganising trips to the vet. It also oftenencourages or resu l ts in increasedindependence with the need for regular dogwalks through the local community and ashared affinity with fellow pet lovers.

Owning a companion animal or simplyfeeding a pet can build a sense of pride.We regularly hear comments like, “It’s myjob to walk Bonnie” or “feed Goldie”.Identification with these roles can promotesocialisation amongst residential care staffand residents and clients in the broadercommunity by breaking down barriers thatmay exist. It creates a common link orinterest that can be shared. It gives theopportunity to gain membership into aparticular culture or social group — thatof having a companion animal.

By far the most understated benefit ofsharing time with a companion animal isthat it gives a person the opportunity to loveand to be loved in return. It also increasesthe opportuni ty for a large range ofrecreational pursuits. Owning or beingaround animals can be an excellent hobbyand can be integrated into numerousactivities. This can involve training the animal,grooming, taking the animal on outings tothe park, walks, agility classes and socialget- togethers . Last ly , pets are notjudgmental; they are loyal and expresswarmth and affection unconditionally.

For many, to move into residential care ora new dwelling without their dog or cat issimply not an option. They have spent allor most of their lives with companion animals,and many feel that the animal constitutesthe only family that they have.

“I love Silky, I would be lostwithout him”

— Ruth, Eunice Seddon Home,

Dandenong.

In some instances when new residents moveinto a facility there is also the option ofp u r c h a s i n g a n a n i m a l t o p r o v i d ecompanionship provided that person hasbeen assessed as having the capacity tolook after it and the environment within thefacility is suitable for the animal.

For various reasons there are times when

it is not safe or viable for a companion animalto be admitted with their owner who , forexample, can no longer care for theircompanion in the new facility or home.Before the mutual decision is made tore-house the animal, it is important that allpotential avenues are investigated andexhausted in the attempt to house thecompanions together.

When a client passes away, our priority isto quickly establish the best ongoing careoption for the animal which may involvefinding an alternative owner or home. Theloss of an owner for an animal can have asignificant impact leading to changedbehaviour patterns and increased anxiety.The preferable solution would be to maintaina familiar environment within the same facilitywith fami l iar people. In the past, analternative solution has been for the facility,with the support of facility and recreationstaff who assume responsibility for its care,to collectively take on ownership of theanimal. This way, the companion animalcan continue to benefit from the companyof other residents who have grown closeto them. These methods have proven towork successfully.

In our residential care facilities the client isresponsible for caring for the companionanimal and Wintringham staff will overseeand monitor this care to ensure the animal’swel fare. A l l an imals have the i r ownresident file and care plan which includesregular monitoring to ensure that they arehealthy and happy. Animals l iv ing inresidential facilities are regularly discussedas part of shift handovers and staff meetingsto ensure that al l animals within ourprograms are safe, happy, healthy and caredfor appropriately.

For many residents, while the desire foranimal companionship may be there, thecapacity to take on the responsibility ofownership may not. For these clients weorganise a variety of animal related activitiesand animal therapy programs. These

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etsprograms are tailored to the individual. Theyinvolve bringing animals to the facility, takinga resident out to visit animals and beinginvolved with volunteering or participatingin other animal programs.

Facility-owned companion animals provideresidents with the opportunity to assist withfeeding, exercising and playtime. Therecreation coordinator will have a careplan in place for the animal which ensuresit is being fed and walked at the appropriatetimes. Ensuring the animal’s safety andwell-being is a priority within our service.The annual recreation budget will then factorin and pay for all expenses associated withthe animal. The facility will budget around$550 each year for the animal’s food,grooming and other basic living costs. It isworth mentioning that this pricing variesgreatly.

One of our much loved dogs, Goldie hasbeen with us for around 14 years. Whenher owner passed away, the facility adoptedher. She now spends half her day at theoffice reception and the other half runningaround the facility getting her daily dose ofattention from the residents. Goldie is nowsomewhat of an ambassador for companionanimals and Pet Therapy. She is happy,healthy and spreads her love to everyonewho requires it on a daily basis. The sitewould not be the same without her.

Goldie

The following are stories written of thee x p e r i e n c e o f c o m p a n i o n p e t s a tWintringham.

Bev and BobIt’s Bev Howlett. I would like to tell youabout my cat Ralph — and BobChudleigh (Bev’s fiancé) would like to tellyou about his red canary ‘Tweetie Pie’.

When I was living at Bronte Court, beforeI came here I had a female cat but shewas stolen. My carer from WintringhamSeddon branch took me to the NorthMelbourne dog’s home for another cat. Ihad a little Jack Russell dog, but I wantedan adult cat too. I didn’t want a kitten Iwanted an adult cat as I could not copewith an active playful kitten. So we wentthere at the home where there were twoadult cats. I had a good look but I wantedthe white one he was three years old so

that’s how I came to get Ralph, I think Igot a bargain as he is a white Persian.Ralph is nine years old now so I pray hewill live a long life because I don’t knowwhat I would do without him. He takes upall my money in vet bills and special foodI have from the vet. But I love him somuch he is such good company eventhough he sleeps 20 hours out of 24hours a day but he is so beautiful I thinkwhen it is his time to go I will die too.

Bob had Aviaries of birds in SouthAustralia and he longed for a bird here soDanny let him buy one. We got a redcanary. I believe they come from Englandand you have to put red colouring drop intheir water to keep them red otherwisethey go back to yellow. Bob and I sharethe bird and he brings us great pleasure.He has a beautiful whistle but he lost itsuddenly. We took him to the vet but thebird specialist vet didn’t know why. Itcould be seasonal and we are waitinganxiously to see if he gets it back. NeitherBob nor I would do without him. He is funto watch. He has a bad temper and whenhe doesn’t get his own way he bangs themirror against the cage and shakes thelife out of the bell.

There are two other ladies here who havelittle dogs. I think it is very important thatwe are allowed to keep our pets. Theykeep you alive. I’d be dead without Ralph.I am really dreading when his time is up.

Written by Bev Howlett, resident.

Bev and Ralph

Neil Smith, Animal Therapy and Planet K9Animal-assisted therapy is designed toimprove the physical, social, emotionaland cognitive functioning of a resident.

The recreation team at Ron Conn nursinghome has been working closely withPlanet K9 in the provision of pet therapy.It all started when a resident of Ron Connnursing home wanted a dog to live withhim at the facility.

Neil lived at Ron Conn Nursing Homeabout four years ago before he passedaway. He expressed his desire for havinga companion animal as he had always

had them throughout his life. When Neilmoved to Ron Conn he was oftenaggressive and displayed otherbehaviours of concern. These behaviourswere at times difficult to manage andwere often time consuming for staff.

The recreation team liaised with TheLost Dogs home and Planet K9 to findand assess a dog that would besuitable for both Neil and the facility.We received a call and were told therewas a Cocker Spaniel called Bonniethat would be ideal. So staff and Neilwent to meet her and adopted herstraight away. Bonnie would sleep inNeil’s room beside his bed. Neil beganspending all of his time with Bonnie,talking to her, stroking her beautifulbrown fur and taking Bonnie for walks.

Bonnie had a great deal of toileting andbehavioural issues so the Lost DogsHome referred us to Nicole Beasley thefounder of Planet K9. Planet K9 providesprofessional support to train dogs. Nicoleand her volunteers assisted us in how todeal with the issues we had at Ron Conn.This support and training went on forseveral months, seven days a week.

Within only a few weeks of benefittingfrom Bonnie’s companionship, Neil’sbehaviours of concern diminished. Hebecame a new person. Staff began to seeanother side to Neil Smith, that of acharming and gentle man. Neil begansmiling more often, chatting with staff andhis interactions with everyone becamemuch more positive. Staff began to ask ‘Isthis the same Neil’? Bonnie played asignificant role in Neil’s life and had sucha huge positive impact on him. Some ofNeil’s regular quotes were “BeautifulBonnie” and “You are daddy’s girl”.

Whenever Neil Smith went out on thehostel bus, he insisted that Bonnie camealong. They became one. Bonnie wouldnever leave Neil’s side and the twoformed a unique friendship.

As time went on, Nicole (Planet K9) and Ibegan discussing how we couldimplement pet therapy to benefit otherresidents at Wintringham or to at leastcreate opportunities to further engageresidents in pet therapy. We came upwith the idea of running pet therapy atThe Lost Dogs Home. This also becamean incentive for residents to participate inbus outings, meeting and greeting thedogs and taking part in what was asocially engaging event.

Residents would regularly attend TheLost Dogs home once a month andwatch the dogs perform their agilityclasses. The dogs would jump throughhoops, play quoits and face a number ofchallenging obstacles. Residents reallyenjoy watching the dogs completing theiragility classes. Residents would then alsohave the opportunity to meet the dogs,hold and pat them or reminisce abouttheir own experiences with dogs. Thedogs also benefit from this program asmany of them had been mistreated byprevious owners, so residents would give

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these dogs lots of TLC which alsoassisted the dogs in developing betterbehaviours. Residents would also have acup of coffee together and socialise withone another whilst at The Lost DogsHome. This event occurs once a monthcontinues to provide a true sense of pettherapy and engages people in a socialenvironment.

Written by Peter Demetriou, Wintringham Recreation Coordinator

Neil and Bonnie

Kevin with horse

Annie and her dog Molly— a seven year oldPomeranian x shiatsu.Nancy has been living at Wintringhamsince September 2010. She hasalways lived with pets surrounding her,from a parrot to cats and dogs. Nancywas very excited to be able to move toWintringham as she was able to bringher dog Molly with her to live at thefacility. Nancy says that she is a self-confessed loner and that having Mollyis important to her as she always hassomeone to talk to.

Nancy has a large and supportive family;her son regularly comes over and takesMolly home to be washed once afortnight. Nancy told me that she ishappy with this arrangement as Mollythen only has the good times toexperience with her. Nancy lovesbrushing Molly out on the patio and walksher three times a day. This allows bothNancy and Molly to exercise and meetothers along the way. Nancy says sheloves Molly and that she is very happythat she lives with her in the hostel as shegives her unconditional love.

Written by Sarah Davidson, Wintringham Recreation Coordinator

Annie and Molly

Margaret and her dogcalled MisterMargaret said that if she had not beenable to take her dog with her she wouldnot have come to Wintringham. She feltthat she could not give her dog away.She was happy to see that there wereother dogs living in the hostel. Sheenjoys walking with Mister on theproperty and meeting and talking to theother residents with dogs.

Margaret had two dogs before Misterwho lived to the ripe old ages of 16 and14 years when they died within a week ofeach other. At that time she felt lonelyand depressed at her loss, so her familyassisted in obtaining Mister from the LostDogs Home. At first Margaret did notwant Mister but when the staff broughthim out of the cage she said she had tohave him. Margaret said that Mister is abig part of her life that she would neverwant to part from him. Margaret enjoysthe interaction that Mister has with thestaff, other residents and other dogs atthe hostel. She said that if Mister leavesshe would miss him dearly and that herhome would again feel empty.

Mister is part of her world. He has hisown bed in the lounge room, his foodbowl in the bathroom, his kennel on thepatio and his spirit in her heart.

Written by Sarah Davidson, Wintringham Recreation Coordinator

Margaret and Mister

Ron and his GreyhoundsGreyhounds are my life and I owe theworld to them. When I was in hospital16 months ago the only thing that keptme going was knowing I had family,friends and greyhounds. Becausewhen you know something is waitingfor you at the other end, it helps you toa quicker recovery and makes youwant to get better. When you knowgreyhounds like I do and you knowwhat they can do, it brings great joyand puts a smile on my face.

Greyhounds for me all started at myfamily home in Hawthorn. I was walkingup the passage way when I saw a manwalking four large dogs. I ran to thecurtains pulled them back for a betterlook and then ran outside. I said to theman what sort of dogs are they, hereplied “Greyhounds, I then ran backinside all puffed out and excited to Mumwho was in the kitchen. She said“what’s wrong Ronald why are you soexcited?” I replied “Mum I’ve just foundwhat I love in life” she asked “What?” Isaid with a smile on my face“Greyhounds Mum they will be my life.They are beautiful,”. And how right I was.They have been and still are my life.

In my life I have owned five greyhoundsmyself and trained six. With greatsuccess I might add. I received my firstone for my 26th birthday as a gift fromVincent, a greyhound owner whose dogsI was training.

There are two things that I love most ofall above everything else aboutGreyhounds; seeing them in themounting yards or at full stretch runningalong. I can tell you there is no bettersight in history — it is just perfect.

I enjoy going to Essendon four times aweek to train my dogs and am just ashappy doing that as I would be to havemy very own greyhound here with me atWintringham. I love it because I am ableto travel which is something else I enjoydoing and most of all I love greyhounds.They are my passion and my life.

Written by Ronald Woltor

Ron and one of his greyhounds

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etsChapter 4:

Interview(s)Faithful Friends Are FamilyAllan Martin, Peer Education SupportProgram Graduate, undertook the accompanyingtwo interviews that are a partof an ongoing Parity projectwith the Council to HomelessPersons.

Michelle and Gary Junior

Interview with Michelle.Michelle is 37 years old and has beenhomeless for the past two years due toillness and domestic violence.

When you were homeless didyou have a pet and what typeof pet was it?I’ve got a little Jack Russell–Blue Healer.

What is your dog’s name?Gary Junior, after my ex, ex, ex partner.

How long has he been with you?Four and a half years. He’s my baby.

Were you in housing whenyou got him?Yes, in private rental but that was when Iwas working.

Was it illness that stoppedyou working and that lost youyour house?Lost everything but my dog.

When you went to homelessnessservices did having a pet make itdifficult for you to get assistance?Abso lute ly ! Every t ime I ’ve neededemergency accommodation or anything Ican’t get in because I have a pet. Thereare no services that will allow pets on theproperty. Housing is trying to help me at

the moment and I got a call from them twoweeks ago. But the worker asked if I’vestill got the pet, so I said no because theywouldn’t let my pet in. But they know I’vegot Gary Junior and will do nothing withouthim.

It is said that a dog is a man’s bestfriend. Do you consider Gary Juniorto be your best friend?If it wasn’t for my dog I would’ve killed myselftwo years ago. I know that he will neverleave me, he is always with me, looks afterme, keeps me safe. He loves me to deathand I love him to death.

So if anyone approaches you hestarts barking and snapping?At night times yes. At night times if I am bymyself. But he’s never bitten anyone.

He licks a lot. He likes kissing ears andnoses. He’s a big licker. I’ve had him sincehe was a pup. I got him at six months oldfrom the North Melbourne Lost Dogs Home.He’s had all his shots and gets a checkevery year. He’s got the microchip.

What are you using as a letter dropfor yourself and what happens if Garygets lost?My mail is sent to the Ozanam CommunityCentre, but my health care card says, Nofixed Address. But I can’t register a dogthere so I’ve just asked Ronnie (a friend)because he’s in North Melbourne.

How are you able to feed and carefor Gary Junior when you arehomeless?With my Centrelink I make sure that I buyhis food first then I go to Ozanam for lunch.I don’t care if I don’t eat, as long he’s gothis food and I’ve got my cigs and alcohol.He’s my bro.

Have there been times that youhave nobody to communicatewith but your dog?Many a time. Many many a time. Especiallysince I’ve been homeless over the past twoyears.

What do you think are thechallenges of having pets with youwhen you are homeless? Forexample, when you go to thecommunity centre or Centrelinkdo they let you bring Gary in?No, I have to leave him tied up out thefront. When I had to come here today Icouldn’t take him on the train, so I left him

at John’s house after I took him out for hisrun and a piddle. He is with me all day everyday.

Do you have anybody you can leaveGary Junior safely with, if youcouldn’t take care of him?I will always make sure that I can take careof him. There is one place I could leavehim, but I can’t go without him for morethan two days. I’ve been in de-tox for sevendays at a time and it’s hard enough to leavemy dog then.

Have there been periods whenyou have been housed over thepast two years?With my ex-partner, yes. But he was veryviolent and I had to leave him. So now Isleep at John’s on his couch or on the floorat Henry’s. Gary Junior’s toilet trained sohe’s clean. He just leaves a lot of fur around.That’s all they complain about, “I’ve gotGary on me”.

Would you consider giving up yourpet if it meant you could accesssecure and affordable housing?No! Absolutely not! The services shouldknow the value of pets to people and thereshould be more housing to provide a placefor both of them. At the end of the day thereare so many people like me. I’ve got a mentalillness. Pets are very special. Like my dog— he is so important to me. If he died I’ddie.

(Michelle becomes tearful and wetake a short break)

When you went to the homelessnessservices were you given anyinformation or options where you andGary Junior could be accommodatedtogether or if need be separately?Separately, yes. But that was no good tome. I had to keep him at a friend’s houseand I could have emergency services. I’veonly just found out Lort Smith’s could havelooked after him of a night if I pick him upof a day.

If you were given the chance ofhousing, say in a rooming housewould you put him in Lort Smith’s ofa night and on weekends?No! No! No! I can’t do that. The thing is,how would you like to give up somethingthat you had had with you for nearly fiveyears? Imagine put t ing a ch i ld in tosomething like that. That’s how I think about

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it. He sleeps under my feet every night. He’smy baby and you can’t give your child away.And that is what he is to me. I had amiscarriage and if it wasn’t for him I would’vekilled myself. Wherever I go, he goes.

What do you think are the benefits ofhaving pets with you when you arehomeless?It keeps your mind actually thinking, thatyes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel,and because he is young he needs me, soI have to look after him. I need him mentallyand being a female I can’t live on the streetsby myself. I’m either gonna get raped ormurdered, or whatever, and if it wasn’t formy dog looking after me every night, I’d bedead, I swear to God.

Interview with Linda.Linda is 54 years old and lost heremployment and housing due to illness.

When you experienced homelessnessdid you have a pet with you?Yes I had a cat, Harvey, as in Brent Harvey.I’m a North Melbourne supporter and whenthe cat came to me he was very destitutehimself. He was about six months old andlooked very unkempt and smelt but I felt Icould fix him up. I thought if he could takeon the characteristics of Brent Harvey he’dlead a long life.

Were you homeless at the time youadopted him?No, I was at Mum’s at the time and he’sabout three years old now and I only becamehomeless at the end of last year.

What type of accommodation wereyou living in beforehand?I was in private accommodation for twoyears. I lost my job and then my house. Thatwas the start of it. Everyone wanted moneyand I had to use up all I had before I couldgo onto Centrelink.

It is said that a dog is a man’s bestfriend. Do you consider Harvey to beyour best friend?Absolutely. I get home and he is there togreet me. I’ve got his bed under the desk.He sits there and if anyone is at the windowhe looks at me, communicates with hiseyes trying to tell me, ‘Someone is out there,someone is out there’, or if somebody isat the door; looking back and forth at mecommunicating in that way. If I open thedoor he is craning over my shoulder to see

who it is. If they don’t pass his test then Ikind of figure that there might be somethingabout them that maybe I don’t want toknow. If he won’t go within a foot of themI know he is picking up something. Hecommunicates very well, just lies on hisstomach and looks into my eyes.

What type of accommodation areyou living in now?I was going to say a halfway house but itsnot that, it’s a rooming house.

Do you have permission to haveHarvey with you?That is still going through. Originally I gotbreached even though I told them before Imoved in I had a cat and asked them whatI had to do to keep my pet. They didn’t getback to me and were just high and mighty,“No pets, no pets”. So I said to them I wasjust going to treat it as a bit of paper pushedunder the door until they got back to mepersonally to tell me what I had to. ButCassandra (Homelessness Advocate) gotinvolved and said if I could get a letter fromthe doctor saying that Harvey was helpingme with my medical treatment, then it shouldbe okay. So I’ve done that and it camethrough yesterday. But that doesn’tnecessarily mean I will be given permission.

Do you have any family or friends youcould safely leave Harvey with if youdon’t get permission?No. I had a stroke back in 1996. Sincethen I’ve become very estranged from myfamily. I lost all of my friends at the timebecause I was no longer the party animalthey wanted me to be. There’s obviousreasons for this, but they didn’t see it thatway and my family were looking for somemental illness all of the time and just wantedto make fun of it. I decided that I didn’t needsuch a toxic environment and just walkedaway from it.

Were you diagnosed with amental illness?Because I had the stroke and because it’sa b r a i n i n j u r y , c a u s e d b y a b l o o dcondition, people talk louder to you andtreat you differently. I continued workingfor quite a while because I had to, but afterthe last incident it became too stressful. Ihave to be ca re fu l as I su f fe r f romthrombosis and if I have too much stressI will have a stroke. All of my left hand sidewas disabled at the t ime. I was in awheelchair for six months and I wentthrough intensive rehab. I have a limp and

a little bit of a speech impediment that somepeople make fun of by asking me torepeat myself. I lost the use of my writinghand, which is my left hand and have touse my right hand instead and it is not asalways as legible as I would like it to be.From day one in hospital you start cleaningyour teeth with the other hand, all the thingsyou do with your dominant hand suddenlyhave to change to your other hand.

When you were homeless were youever turned away from a servicebecause you had Harvey with you?I went to HomeGround services and theywere very good. I think they knew I had aproblem finding a place that would take acat. I just always smuggled the cat aroundwhen I lived in private rental and when I hadan inspection I would remove him.

Would you consider giving up Harveyif it meant you could access safe andaffordable housing?No, he’s part of me. I couldn’t give him up.They become your family. He knows thatand is always there for me and at night heis security, lying there next to me. It’s justreassuring. You need that companionship.As much as safe and secure housing is awonderful idea and a dream, I also recognisethat I’ve got a cat and he is part of my life.

How were able to feed and care forHarvey when you were homeless?I had a form of transitional housing. It wasa friend of a friend who from day one saidI could stay there for as long as I wanted.The cat was no problem. She’d providedthis nice secure feeling then one day outof the blue asked, “So who’s moving youon the weekend?”. HomeGround movedme into a motel for a week and I had beenin contact with a women’s housing groupand this place came up. It’s a nice facilitybut you don’t get to meet many residents.I have met a few and they can be veryconvivial but I don’t think they screenvery well. They brought in this group ofwomen who were all alcoholics and drugusers who all got together and took overthe women’s part of the building. Theywere up all night drinking and playingloud music, causing havoc, and a coupleof women were put under threat. So overthe Easter period we were pretty muchlocked away in our rooms. I didn’t knowwhich way to turn.

What would you suggest theservices could do to improve theirresponse to people with petsexperiencing homelessness?I think that they need to be a little bit moreproactive in that area when there are obviousavenues when you have pets. But I thinkthere is always that underlying question —should you have an animal? I won’t be takingit lying down.

As you are living in a rooming houseand are therefore still considered tobe homeless because you have toshare facilities with other people,what do you think are the benefits ofhaving pets when you are homeless?They are comforting. They are a hugecomfort to the spirit. ■

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OpinionFelicity Reynolds, CEO Mercy Foundation (and very proud companion to a 13-year-old Jack Russell Terrier)

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OPIN

ION

Congratulat ions to the Counci l toHomeless Persons for publishing this

special edition on pets and homelessness.This too often overlooked issue needs to behighlighted and this edition has articles thatexplore the many facets of homelessnessand housing in relation to pets.

This edition is the result of conversationsover the past couple of years between anumber of people who were concerned thatthe issue of pets and homelessness wasnot on the policy, program or service agenda.It is exciting to see this edition come tofruition and contain such a diverse rangeof interesting and informative articles aboutthis topic.

From abused women, afraid to leave lovedfamily pets in the care of a violent partner,to single homeless adults who’s onlyconnection with a loving relationship is apet — this issue needs discussion andimproved responses. Australia’s traditionof barring pets in accommodation servicesas well as many rental housing units hasmeant that poor people with pets have

few options. I certainly know a number ofrough sleepers who choose to stay withtheir pet rather than be separated andenter crisis services.

I personally understand the value of a caringand nurturing relationship with a pet. If Iwere made homeless tomorrow, I also wouldchoose to stay with my dog, rather than goto an accommodation service that doesn’tpermit pets. I would certainly also neverleave my dog in a place where I had left anabusive partner.

In other countries, rules around pets andaccommodation and public services aredifferent. For example, in many hotels andshopping centres in the USA dogs are verywelcome. I still recall my initial shock in SanFrancisco on seeing dogs on leads goingshopping with their owners. Not tied up outthe front, but walking with them throughshops. It was a perfectly acceptable practice.

In some places in the US I understand thereis also a system for registering pets as‘assistance pets’ on the basis of ‘psychiatricassistance’. I f people have the r ight

registration papers for their pets, in manyinstances they and their pets cannot beexcluded from shelters and other services.In Europe, there are also more shops andservices that welcome pets. It is time thatAustralia began to better understand thatpets are part of people’s families — and insome instances, perhaps their only family.

This edition describes initiatives that helpto keep pets with their human companionsas well as covering other projects that helppeople living in poverty to access neededveterinary and other services. The issueof pets and domestic violence is a troublingone. The welfare of pets can add increasedanxiety and concern to already very difficultsituations.

There remain few options for peoplee x p e r i e n c i n g h o m e l e s s n e s s a n ddisadvantaged people with pets in Australia.Understanding some of the currentprograms, both here and overseas, as wellas other initiatives that relate to pets as partof a loving family is a good start to changingour practice and policies. ■