A charity and veterinary association jointly launched a program yesterday to help female victims of domestic abuse find temporary placement for their pets, so that they do not have to worry about leaving their animals with their abusers.
“Through this program, we hope these women will feel reassured that their pets are being well taken care of when they themselves go in and out of shelters, stay in hostels or at friends’ homes,” Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation executive director Kang Shu-hua (康淑華) said.
The program allows abuse victims to place their pets in one of five designated animal hospitals for up to three weeks at a time, at rates discounted by 40 to 50 percent including medical costs, Taipei Veterinary Medical Association president Simon Yang (楊靜宇) said.
Depending on the situation, services could be offered for free for individuals with financial difficulties, he said.
The average pet boarding cost is between NT$600 and NT$800 per day at a veterinary clinic or hospital, he said.
Five animal hospitals in Taipei have so far joined the program, but their names have not been made public to protect them from possible harassment by abusers.
The foundation hopes to expand the program to other cities and counties, Kang said.
Citing statistics from the American Humane Association, Kang said that 71 percent of abused women with pets have reported that their abuser had injured or threatened to injure family pets out of revenge or to control the victims.
Between 25 percent and 40 percent of abused women are unable to escape abusive situations because they worry about what will happen to their pets if they leave, Kang said.
If the statistics were to be applied to Taipei, it would mean that more than 2,200 pets might have suffered abuse in the city last year and that more than 1,200 women may have been afraid to escape abusive environments out of concern for their pets, Yang said.
Yang said he has personally treated a few abused pets in the past. In one case, a cat had its ribs broken and became paralyzed after being thrown against a wall by its owner’s abuser, he said.
“So when the foundation discussed the idea with us, we were very glad to help,” Yang said.
Under the program, the foundation will work with domestic violence and sexual assault prevention centers in Taiwan to identify pet placement needs. It will then help place the pets in the five hospitals.
The program is currently restricted to placement for dogs and cats, but Yang said his association is in the process of recruiting veterinary clinics that can provide services for other animals.
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