The violence link: Animal maltreatment and family violence often happen together

Evidence increasingly suggests animal maltreatment may also reveal risks of abuse facing children, partners and other members of the families. (Unsplash) The violence link: Animal maltreatment and family violence often happen together Published: July 22, 2026 8.51am EDT Share article Print article For some survivors of intimate partner violence, leaving an abusive relationship might mean facing a difficult choice between prioritizing their own safety and that of a beloved pet. A study of 86 residents at 16 domestic violence shelters in Canada found that concern for a pet’s safety is a significant factor in decisions about when to leave an abusive relationship. A recent evidence review shows that abusive partners may threaten, injure or kill animals to intimidate and control other members of the household. These experiences help explain why animal maltreatment is increasingly recognized as an important community safety risk. That connection received specific attention in Ontario, where the Standing Committee on Justice Policy released a report on intimate partner violence in December 2025. The report (which the NDP accused of being partly AI-generated but that I have independently verified) contains important, well-considered and well-researched information. Among its findings was recognition that animal maltreatment can be linked to intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, coercive control and broader community safety concerns. The report creates an opportunity to bring this overlooked issue into public discussion. The ‘violence link,’ explained Researchers have spent decades studying what is termed the “violence link”, a pattern in which animal maltreatment — abuse, cruelty and neglect — and violence directed toward humans occur together. While this does not mean that everyone who harms an animal will become violent toward people, animal maltreatment frequently occurs alongside other forms of family and interpersonal violence. Studies in Canada and internationally have found higher rates of animal maltreatment in homes where intimate partner violence is occurring, and have linked it with more severe forms of intimate partner violence. Children who witness animal maltreatment are often exposed to other forms of violence, intimidation or neglect within the home. (Unsplash) Perhaps the most important insight from this research is the role animals can play in coercive control — patterns of behaviour designed to dominate, isolate and…