Colorado passed law to protects pets from domestic violence

[livingdustmops]

This is another great step forward but the amount of domestic violence shelters in the US who will allow animals into the shelter you can count on one hand, but it is a beginning.

Experts have long known that animal abusers are usually human abusers also.

9NEWS.com | Denver | Colorado's Online News Leader | Experts cheer new state law to protects pets from domestic violence

ADAMS COUNTY- Her two pups are faithful, playful, and loving. For Angela McMahan they are also family. She was not willing to leave them, even to save her own life.
"I was told by many people, 'Just leave them. Get out,' but that wasn't an option," McMahan said.
Years ago, she was in a physically abusive relationship.
"I was left for dead. I woke up face down in a pool of my own blood and was left there by my abuser," McMahan said.
It took her years to finally leave the relationship, in part, because she worried about what would happen to her dogs.
"Going to a shelter, I called them for resources, but because I had pets, I just didn't see that was an option for me," McMahan said.
Today, she is the president of the only domestic violence shelter in the metro area that permits pets. When she founded Arising Hope International, which has two homes in Adams County, she personally knew about the need for emergency help for all family members who are not safe, including pets.
"They were abused right along with me," McMahan said.
That is one of the reasons McMahan is pleased about a new Colorado law to help people facing a similar situation. Earlier this week, Governor Bill Ritter signed a bill into law that allows judges to order suspected domestic abusers to stay away from family pets. The measure also includes livestock.
A psychologist at the University of Denver says pets often get caught up in domestic abuse situations in a number of ways.
"Sometimes it's a kind of generalized aggression in the home. Sometimes it's very calculated to frighten and intimidate or to coerce their partner to do something they don't want to do," Dr. Frank Ascione said.
Ascione is the author of several publications on animal abuse in domestic violence situations and leads the University of Denver's Institute for Human-Animal Connection. His studies on women in domestic violence shelters found that more than 50 percent of those with pets had also had their animals abused.
"It just raises the importance of protecting these animals in the context of domestic violence. Not only for the animals benefit, but also for the women and children who may be in those homes," Ascione said.
McMahan agrees and says her own experience is an example of that. She is now helping dozens of women, children and pets get to safety together each year.
"We can only take in so many at a time, and there's still hundreds and hundreds of individuals going to shelters everyday. That pets that are being surrendered and families that are being separated or broken up," McMahan said.
Arising Hope International is working with the American Humane Association on a new campaign to get more emergency shelters opened to pets. There are a few other domestic violence shelters in the state that do. Anyone who needs information to help them escape domestic abuse can start by contacting the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence. For that information visit CCADV.
For more information about Arising Hope International, visit hopehousedv.org.

[capt_noonie]

This is great to hear.

[brendah]

I wish there were more safe places like this

[jencar98]

Great news! And....hats off to Ms. McMahan - what an outstanding example of what one can do to make a difference!

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by jencar98

Great news! And....hats off to Ms. McMahan - what an outstanding example of what one can do to make a difference!

Did you see where she is working with the American Humane Society to help get more of these shelters setup. This is wonderful.

She was on the news here tonight and she is very attractive and I would say in her early 30's...she had 2 labs and a cat. She never would leave her husband/boyfriend because of the animals and he almost killed her...amazing.

It might help if people sent this information on to their domestic violence organizations..

[Woogie Man]

That's great to see. This is something that never occurred to me before. Just a quick look, though, and I found a link about just this thing.

Finding Shelter for You and Your Pet

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by Woogie Man

That's great to see. This is something that never occurred to me before. Just a quick look, though, and I found a link about just this thing.

Finding Shelter for You and Your Pet

Interesting..a few more than the news reported tonight...but I would love to see this list grow.

I noticed in AZ it was 3 little towns and nothing in Phoenix or Tucson...where the most people live..

Domestic abuse, child abuse and animal abuse usually go hand in hand.

[jencar98]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

Did you see where she is working with the American Humane Society to help get more of these shelters setup. This is wonderful.

She was on the news here tonight and she is very attractive and I would say in her early 30's...she had 2 labs and a cat. She never would leave her husband/boyfriend because of the animals and he almost killed her...amazing.

It might help if people sent this information on to their domestic violence organizations..

I am going to contact our local DVIS office and see what their policy is about allowing pets in their shelter.

This is something I've never given much thought to until now. Thank you Cindy for posting this!

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by jencar98

I am going to contact our local DVIS office and see what their policy is about allowing pets in their shelter.

This is something I've never given much thought to until now. Thank you Cindy for posting this!

I have read numerous articles about woman dying because they stayed for their animals... It is also a known fact they will kill the animals to get to the woman to prove their control over everyone.