Should families with a current history of domestic violence have a pet in the house?

Domestic violence can get ugly quick. Any police officer who routinely handles such calls can tell you just how dangerous and unpredictable it can be. Is this really the best place for an animal?

In most households, care for the animal(s) is shared. This includes feeding, watering, walks, playtime, and waste disposal. A bond begins to form with those family members. The animal(s) come to depend on each one. How is this bond disrupted when the same people are now fighting? Fear and confusion.

In the best possible situations, an animal is not present. The realistic scenario may be that one or more animals are in the home. Who then should be responsible for securing and protecting these animals in the event of an escalating domestic situation when these same people are directly involved? How can people maintain a clear thought process regarding the presence and safety of an animal in the midst of an escalating interpersonal crisis?

There also needs to be consideration for the safety of the people involved. When a large breed dog such as a Rottweiler, Doberman, Shepherd or Labrador are involved, their own fear and confusion is augmented by the need and desire to protect those in the home. Fear and confusion can become aggression. Often times the dog has no idea who they should protect and this becomes a situation where the dog becomes aggressive.

"Who do I protect?" The animal is left with a losing proposition no matter what. Should the animal feel the immediate need to protect one or the other, euthanasia becomes their possible reward. Additionally, a large breed dog can severely injure or even kill a human being simply by realistically being put in a situation where no winners exist.

As owner of Lazarus Edge Pit Bull Rescue, we have been directly involved in the rescue and in some cases extraction of one or more Pit Bulls from an already escalated domestic situation. At no time were the animals secured in any way. In all cases, the animals were scared and confused. They had been presented with an unsolvable problem from their point of view. Add to that the misunderstanding and stigma surrounding these Pit Bulls and you have animals caught in the middle with no way out but us.