Thank you Cmoon for including an article on this site about the occurance of pet abuse and domestic violence. I was pleased to see at the U of M Vet Clinic multiple brochures highlighting this issue. The Humane Society of the U.S. initiated the First Strike campaign in 1997 and the awareness week is the 3rd week in April. Each year First Strike works with hundreds of animal shelters and other local animal protection agencies to facilitate workshops that bring together animal shelter workers, animal control officers, social services workers, law enforcement, veterinarians, educators, and other anti-violence professionals to promote the development of coordinated community responses to reduce animal cruelty, family violence, and community violence.
The HSUS also offers a variety of materials for professionals and concerned citizens on animal cruelty and its connections to domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and community violence. For more info visit the website:
http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/first_strike_the_connection_between_anima...

Many women/partners will not leave out of fear for their pet or have already witnessed the abusive partner harming the animal as a means of threatening the woman/partner. I have heard of too many cases of abusers choking pets until they pass out to intimidate and generate fear in victims. Recently there was an article in the Star Trib about a man that threw a kitten against a wall and killed it during a domestic dispute. Hopefully he was prosecuted successfully for more than just animal cruelty since it was also a terroristic threat.