Story by Rebecca West
With October on the horizon, we should all take a moment to recognize the contributions of the Purple Leash Project and everything it’s doing for victims of domestic violence and the animals they refuse to leave behind. Why October, and what’s the significance of purple? Because it’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is symbolized by purple ribbons.
For those unaware of the prevalence of the problem, steel yourself because it’s going to be a bumpy and sobering ride. To begin with, a staggering 1 in 3 women (stats vary between 1 in 2 and 1 in 4) aged 15 and older have suffered violence at the hands of their partners at least once since turning 15. And according to DomesticViolenceResearch.org, 40 percent of women and 32 percent of men have reported expressive abuse, which manifests itself in ways such as verbal and emotional abuse.
While men are also mistreated, DomesticShelters.org notes that 85 percent of domestic violence victims are women. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in the U.S. reports that 25 to 50 percent of them have lost their job due to their situation. Without a job, their options all but evaporate. Worse yet, many of them end up losing their lives at the hands of their tormentors.
It may seem puzzling to some, but one of the main reasons people stay in these precarious situations is a lack of resources and a safe haven to escape to. Not surprisingly, their numbers leap significantly when there are children and pets involved, because they refuse to leave them behind to face the abuse alone.
As shelters have increased their facilities to accommodate women with underage children over time, the same couldn’t be said for those with pets until just recently. Even today, only about 19 percent of DV shelters across America accept pets. Believe it or not, that’s an improvement, and it’s where the Purple Leash Project comes into play.
So, just what is it and who’s behind it? The idea to help was reportedly born nearly a decade ago when a Purina employee read about the gut-wrenching decision many abuse survivors with pets were — and still are — forced to make regularly: stay with an abuser or make a run for it and leave their pet(s) behind.
For some insight into the impact our furry friends have on us and the lifeline they represent, 97 percent of survivors say that keeping their pets with them is a crucial deciding factor as to whether they’ll seek shelter. Of them, 91 percent proclaim that the emotional support and physical protection they receive from their adoring pets is viewed as vital to their ability to emotionally heal and survive. And it isn’t just survival. Pets help us to thrive.
To Purina, it seemed unjust that these animals — who may be the sole source of unconditional love and support for victims — weren’t being considered when it came to outreach efforts. They’ve since become a leading voice of pet-friendly sheltering and helped create the PAWS Act Coalition in support of the Pets and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, which aids domestic abuse survivors and their companion animals by advocating for federal resources and supporting shelter and transitional housing services.
Purina’s current goal is to ensure that at least 25 percent of U.S. domestic violence shelters offer pet-friendly services by the end of 2025, and so far, they’ve provided grants to 48 shelters across the country. Their actions have made it possible for every state to have at least one pet-friendly shelter in place now. But they’re not going it alone. They partnered with RedRover back in 2019 to gain even more traction. RedRover supports animals and people in crisis by providing financial assistance, resources, and emotional support.
Through grants, collaborative renovation projects, workshops, and other efforts, RedRover has provided over 474,890 safe nights for animals that have become victims of domestic violence. Speaking of which, 48 percent of victims admitted that they were worried their abusers would kill or harm their pets, 37 percent reported that their abuser had already threatened to harm or kill their animals, and 29 percent stated that their pets had already been harmed or killed. This is outrageous and completely unacceptable.
Spanning the last 15 years, RedRover has made significant strides to both protect and preserve the human-animal bond by collaborating with DV shelters and generous service providers to guarantee that pets and people can escape abuse together. One of those groups they and Purina have teamed up with is Rescue Rebuild in association with Greater Good Charities.
Using the slogan Hammers and Nails for Happy Tails, Rescue Rebuild is a shelter renovation program that recruits volunteers from across the country to assist shelters in need by taking construction projects “from concept to completion” to improve the lives of humans and animals. In addition to DV shelters, their assistance extends to animal shelters, wildlife facilities, and homeless and veterans’ housing.
How can you help make a difference? It’s easy. Just contact any one of these three groups to make financial or material donations or volunteer today. You can also call your local women’s shelters to see how they’re set for supplies, bed space, or even animal fostering opportunities until a facility can be found to host both the victim and their pet(s). After all, no one should suffer through crisis alone.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of abuse, you can call Domestic Violence Support Services at (520) 909-3888 or visit domesticshelters.org.
purina.com/purple-leash-project/get-involved
greatergood.org/rescue-rebuild
Note: Stats vary slightly from year to year, and the ones referenced here are all within the last 5 years.
