Christmas is a time of terror for many animals

“TIS the season to be jolly. Fa-la-la-la-la, la-lala-la!”

Well it might be. But not if you are a woman or a child or a pet living with the threat of domestic abuse. And it seems things are getting worse.

Christmas 2020 saw an increase in reports of domestic abuse, with numbers rising from 200,000 in 2019 to 369,000.

A report by the NSPCC estimates that 15,000 children will be exposed to domestic violence over the two week festive period.

Child harm cases have risen by 20 per cent since the start of the pandemic.

Child deaths rose by 19 per cent and the number of babies killed or harmed has similarly risen by 20 per cent.

A survey by the Stowe Family Law, found that one in six respondents believed they were more likely to suffer emotional or physical abuse from their partner over the Christmas period.

Four in 10 were scared that the Christmas period would lead to the end of their marriage.

A third said money was the chief cause of strain on their relationship, while two in 10 said that “spending time with the wider family” was likely to trigger tension with their partner.

And why is this relevant to the Pet Page? A study, carried out by a charity called Refuge4Pets, which works alongside Dog’s Trust’s Freedom Project to rehome the animals of abuse victims, found that pets were being abused in 88 per cent of domestic abuse cases. Remarkably, where the pet had been given as a gift, this figure rose to 94 per cent.

It also discovered that one in 10 cases involved an animal being killed as a means of intimidation.

Amy Hyde, Freedom

Project manager at Dogs Trust, which has rehomed over 2000 dogs rescued from abuse, said, “Unfortunately, this new research revealing further links between animal abuse and domestic abuse is not shocking to us.

“We see first-hand the myriad ways perpetrators use dogs to coerce, control, physically harm and threaten within abusive relationships.

“This is frightening for survivors and is often aimed to leave people isolated.

“We have heard of perpetrators not letting survivors walk their dogs alone, stopping them from accessing veterinary care or being able to spend money on dog food and even threatening to harm, kill or get rid of their dogs.”

Perpetrators may blame additional pressures such as money, alcohol and being cooped up together but they are always responsible for their behaviour.

I do hope you and your pets have a happy, healthy, safe Christmas.