22.07.26
For so many of us, pets are family. They are our loyal companions, our source of comfort, and often the one constant in our lives. But for someone experiencing domestic abuse, that bond can become one of the greatest barriers to reaching safety.
The thought of leaving a much-loved pet behind is unimaginable. Many survivors stay in abusive situations because they fear what will happen to their animals if they leave. Others make the incredibly brave decision to escape, only to return because they cannot bear to abandon the pet they love. Tragically, these choices can have devastating, and sometimes fatal, consequences.
No one should ever have to choose between their own safety and the safety of their animal. That shared belief is what brings Naturewatch Foundation and Refuge4Pets together.
A charity born from compassion
Nine years ago, Dr Mary Wakeham and a group of founding trustees recognised a critical gap in support for survivors of domestic abuse who had pets. They understood that unless there was somewhere safe for animals to go, many people simply could not leave abusive homes. From that realisation, Refuge4Pets was born.
Today, the charity provides free, confidential foster care for pets across Devon and Cornwall, allowing survivors to access refuge, temporary accommodation or other safe housing while knowing their animals are protected and cared for. Since 2017, Refuge4Pets has supported more than 510 families and fostered 887 animals. In the last 12 months alone, the charity fostered 119 animals and supported 60 families. Including the animals already in care at the beginning of the year, that represents 90 families and 164 animals receiving support.
The animals themselves reflect the diversity of the families Refuge4Pets helps. Dogs and cats are most common, but rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, exotic pets and even a horse have all found safety through the charity’s dedicated foster network.
The impact of the service speaks for itself.
- 81% of survivors said Refuge4Pets enabled them to leave an abusive relationship.
- 81% said being reunited with their pet helped their recovery from trauma.
- 77% said knowing they would be reunited with their animal improved their mental health and wellbeing.
- 100% rated the service as excellent.
Behind every statistic is a family that was able to choose safety because they no longer had to choose between themselves and the animal they loved.
Protect animals. Protect people.
At Naturewatch Foundation, we have long recognised the link between animal abuse and domestic abuse. Through our Protect Animals. Protect People. campaign, we work to ensure that animals are included in safeguarding conversations and that survivors are not prevented from escaping because of concern for their pets.
Supporting Refuge4Pets is a natural extension of that work. Over the past year, Refuge4Pets facilitated 256 veterinary appointments for animals in foster care, ranging from routine health checks to emergency treatment for pets arriving injured, neglected or in distress. Naturewatch Foundation funded 55 of those veterinary visits, ensuring animals received the urgent care they needed.
It is one piece of a much bigger picture, but it makes an enormous difference. When a survivor knows their pet is safe, healthy and receiving veterinary care, it removes another burden at one of the most traumatic moments of their life. Every vet bill covered is one less worry, one more barrier removed, and one more opportunity for a family to move towards a safer future.
Seeing the impact first-hand
As Campaign lead at Naturewatch Foundation and a trustee of Refuge4Pets, I recently spent several days with the team to see first-hand how charitable funding is transforming lives and to explore how our organisations can continue working together to protect both animals and people.
I spent time with Dr Mary Wakeham, whose vision and determination have shaped Refuge4Pets since its beginnings. Her internationally recognised research into the links between domestic abuse and animal welfare has helped transform understanding across the sector, demonstrating why protecting pets is so often key to protecting survivors. Despite the scale of her impact, she remains incredibly humble about everything the charity has achieved.
I also spent time on the road with one of the frontline support workers, witnessing the compassion, professionalism and dedication shown every single day. Whether supporting survivors, working alongside foster carers or ensuring animals received the care they needed, every interaction reflected the trust and empathy at the heart of the charity.
On the road across Devon and Cornwall
Visiting foster carers in both Devon and Cornwall brought home just how remarkable these volunteers are. They do far more than provide temporary accommodation for pets. They offer stability, patience, love and reassurance while owners focus on rebuilding their lives.
Meeting the animals themselves made everything tangible. A wagging tail or the contented purr of a cat represented something much bigger than animal welfare. Each one symbolised one less worry for someone taking the courageous step of escaping abuse.
None of this would be possible without the people who give their time so generously. Refuge4Pets is supported by 131 volunteers across Devon and Cornwall, and foster carers are their lifeblood.
More than pet fostering
Refuge4Pets is about so much more than providing temporary care for animals. It is about removing one of the biggest barriers preventing survivors from reaching safety. It is about ensuring families can stay together, even when they must be apart for a short time. It is about recognising that protecting animals and protecting people are not separate issues, they are deeply connected.
Seeing how charitable funding becomes something so tangible, a veterinary appointment, emergency treatment, a foster placement or simply peace of mind, is a powerful reminder of what collaboration can achieve.
Stronger together
Partnerships work best when they go both ways, and this collaboration is no exception. While Naturewatch Foundation is proud to support Refuge4Pets through our Protect Animals. Protect People. campaign, Refuge4Pets also champions Naturewatch Foundation’s work.
The charity actively supports our Purple Paw Programme, which encourages professionals to recognise the vital bond between people and their animals within safeguarding practice. It also supports our Holly’s Law campaign, a Westminster-led initiative calling for the right information about animal cruelty to reach the right professionals at the right time so that both animals and vulnerable people can be better protected.
By sharing knowledge, raising awareness and supporting each other’s work, both organisations are helping to create a future where no survivor is forced to choose between safety and the animal they love.
Because protecting animals helps protect people.
And together, we can achieve far more than either organisation ever could alone.
