Pets being beaten, tortured and even beheaded - these are the silent victims of domestic abuse. A charity that helps victims of domestic abuse and their much-loved animals to escape desperate situations, said they receive calls on “a daily basis”.
University of Bristol graduate Mary Wakeham, founder of the charity, Refuge4Pets, said they help victim-survivors every day to find foster carers for their pets as they flee from an abusive perpetrator. “Not wanting to leave a pet behind is the main barrier to a victim leaving an abusive situation," she said.
“We get phone calls every day for help and our small team is always out collecting animals and taking them to our foster carers,” she said. Mary is a survivor of domestic abuse, during which time her partner would torment her dog to punish her.
