Family violence can take many forms, including emotional abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, and elder abuse. And while pets can be a source of comfort and stability for victims, they are often injured—and even killed—by a violent family member to intimidate and control other members of the household.

In a recent sample of several of the largest domestic violence shelters around the country, The Humane Society of the United States found that 91 percent of adult victims and 73 percent of children mention incidents of companion animal abuse when they enter violence shelters. But only 18 percent of the shelters surveyed routinely ask victims about their pets. Domestic violence advocates recognize the connection between animal cruelty and family violence but need resources to help victims plan for the safety of their pets.

For Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week, this year held April 18–24, our theme "Animal Cruelty IS Family Violence" focuses attention on pets mistreated in the context of family violence. We are highlighting Safe Havens for Animals™ programs—collaborative relationships between domestic violence shelters, animal care and control agencies, and animal shelters to provide safe temporary housing for victims' pets.

As part of this effort, we offer an online directory of Safe Havens for Animals programs at www.animalcrueltyisfamilyviolence.org. The directory provides advocates who currently have programs a network of colleagues with whom to share information and provides victims the most up-to-date list of such programs in their states. We also offer a new resource to help animal care and control agencies, animal shelters, domestic violence shelters, veterinary clinics, and other community groups develop Safe Havens for Animals programs.

Our new poster for animal shelters, domestic violence shelters, and other social service agencies emphasizes the importance of providing a safe place for companion animals in family violence situations. And three national domestic violence advocacy organizations—the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; the Family Violence Prevention Fund; and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network—will promote our message and Awareness Week to their members.

We launched our nationally acclaimed First Strike® campaign in 1997 to promote understanding of the connection between animal cruelty and human violence. Among our activities, we offer workshops for law enforcement officers, animal care and control professionals, domestic violence advocates, social service professionals, and other violence responders on the violence connection and the importance of treating animal abuse as a serious crime.

For more information on the animal cruelty/family violence connection, write to First Strike, The HSUS, 2100 L St., NW, Washington, DC 20037, visit www.hsus.org/firststrike, or call 1-888-213-0956.