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A woman who was left sleeping in her car and showering at work after escaping an abusive home has been forced to give her cats to a pet refuge for a second time after allegedly being attacked.
Monique – whose name has been changed for safety reasons – has been struggling to find an affordable rental that would accept her two cats, so they’ve returned to Pet Refuge for a second time.
Pet Refuge provides temporary shelter for pets affected by domestic violence, while their owners escape abuse and the founder of the organisation says it’s not uncommon for pets to make a return to the refuge.
Monique’s two cats first went to Pet Refuge in January after her former partner forced her out of the home with nowhere to go, she said.
She spent two months living in her car during Auckland’s Anniversary weekend floods and had to shower at her workplace.
Her cats stayed at the refuge for three months, until Monique was able to have them back, but her former partner found her again.
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Pet Refuge has given temporary refuge more than 350 pets from all over New Zealand since opening. (File photo)
Monique was allegedly beaten and ended up in hospital and said she continued to have sore ribs months later.
After leaving hospital Monique fled her hometown to stay with a friend in another area, but this friend had a dog, making it an unsuitable home for her cats.
“I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them, I felt so bad asking [for help] again, I was so incredibly grateful they could go back to Pet Refuge a second time.
“Eventually I was able to get my cats and drop them at a vet clinic where they could be picked up by the refuge.”
Monique had now returned to her hometown but was struggling to find a rental she could afford which was pet-friendly, so the cats remained at the refuge receiving care.
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Pet Refuge workers at the Auckland shelter with some of the pets being offered temporary respite. (File photo)
“I will never be able to afford to buy a house, I’ll always be renting. It’s been a bit of a nightmare, I’ve been having panic attacks since the assault.
“I haven’t been able to get half of my stuff back from the house I was living in with my ex partner.”
Since Pet Refuge opened in 2021, Pet Refuge founder Julie Chapman, said nine women had been forced to ask for help a second time after getting set up in a safe home and being reunited with their pets.
“It’s heartbreaking when we hear from families a second time because they have been tracked down again. They are suffering trauma and fear, when they should be rebuilding their lives,” Chapman said.
“We have seen the joy on the faces of families when their pets are returned, only to receive a call a few months later saying the family has fled danger again and will once again need help.”
Reuben Looi/Woman
Pet Refuge’s Julie Chapman pictured with a one-eyed cat at the refuge. (File photo)
Pets were staying longer at the refuge, Chapman said, due to the cost of living and rental market.
“2023 has been the hardest year so far – we want to keep saying yes but without more funds we can’t keep up with demand.”
A Women’s Refuge study found 53% of women chose to stay in violent homes because there was nowhere for their pets to go.
The National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges surveyed 1000 domestic violence victims who had experienced a partner abusing or threatening a pet.
To support Pet Refuge’s appeal, visit escapetogether.co.nz or call 09 975 0850 to donate or join the monthly giving programme.
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