TGIF !!!!
October has arrived and with it the Month of Domestic Violence Awareness. This is a topic that is very close to my heart as I am a lucky survivor.
I am one of the lucky ones that managed to get away with my little dog, hid at a friend and then moved to a new city where we were both helped. If I had left her I know my ex would have carried on abusing her so the minute I could we ran.
Baby since has passed away, but she was my inspiration, my hero, my trooper and my lifeline through those dark days, and when she passed from IMHA, was when I was finally in my own home so she knew I was safe, and could then open my doors to a new pup, and Layla arrived to live with me. Layla wears a tag that says: Shelter Survivor which speaks for both of us.
Today I am not going to talk about me, but “The Power and Control Wheel” of Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence. This gives us a better understanding as to what happens behind closed doors, and why so many victims stay in the relationships.
An abuser will want to control everything, and if he or she does not have that, we, the humans, kids or pets become the victims of his or her anger, although he/she will never admit it.
So when people reach out and talk about wanting to leave a Domestic Violence relationship but cannot leave their pets, these are some of the reasons and I from experience would have rather carried on suffering the abuse to make sure Baby was safe, than left her in a house where she would suffer.
Pets do not understand abuse the way we do and they should not have to suffer at the hands of an abuser of any kind as they give us the unconditional love and loyalty that unfortunately humans do not do.
October is also the National Month of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month so reach out to a Shelter and give a dog a new home, as I always say about Layla – from pound to princess.
Be safe, have a wonderful week, with a woof of love from
Layla