Accommodating Pets in DV Shelters
July 2021
Written by National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL)
“Older survivors may already face service barriers in emergency or temporary housing that lack accessible accommodations or age-tailored supports. Another common complication for survivors of any age is the presence of pets in the home. Most domestic violence shelters are unable to accommodate pets. And, as anyone who has loved a companion animal will tell you, it can be unthinkable to abandon a pet, especially when doing so may put the animal at risk for harm. The National Domestic Violence Hotline shares that as many as 65 percent of domestic violence victims are unable to escape abusive situations because they’re concerned about what will happen to their pets.”