JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A domestic violence shelter on the First Coast is adding pet-friendly rooms, with staff noting how important pets are as a source of emotional support for survivors of domestic violence.
"That pet that they have in their home, it is the same to them as one of their children, or is their child, and to cause that separation increases anxiety, stress, depression," Dottie Bromley, Executive Director of Glynn Community Crisis Center, said.
According to Bromley, the domestic violence shelter also known as Amity House, has needed pet-friendly rooms for a while.
“It creates a warmer atmosphere, more home-like. A shelter, no matter how nice it is, is scary for anyone that's coming in. They come to us typically with the clothes on their back, or maybe a few things in a bag," Bromley said.
"And to make one of the few things they get to come to us with their their cat or their dog or their bird, you know, how nice is that? It gives them something to feel like they have control of their life rather than that abuser constantly being in control of their life," she said.
The center is partnering with the shelter renovation program Rescue Rebuild, and the animal rescue group, RedRover. Both groups gave the center $60,000 grants each.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 71 percent of pet owners that come to domestic violence shelters across the country report their abuser had threatened, injured or killed the family pet. Up to 40 percent are reluctant to escape their abusers because they're concerned about what will happen to their pets when they leave.
Fifty-five percent of domestic violence victims and their children report their pets are important sources of emotional support.
According to Bromley, a project manager from Rescue Rebuild came to the center last month to take pictures and measurements. She said she's hoping to see a layout of his proposal within the next week and a half.
Bromley said by April, they hope to have the new spaces added, which include dedicating two of the family rooms to be pet-friendly, cutting an exit door for pets into a private pet relief area, adding four pet rooms outside with a door into a private relief area and a adding a mini dog park.
She said local contractors will help with the project as well. Bromley said Ahimsa House, a group dedicated to helping human and animal victims of domestic violence reach safety together, is partnering with them to supply vet care. The local vet in Brunswick will be the vet at the center.
"The community's reaction to this step forward for us has been so positive," she said.
Bromley said when the staff told the survivors at the shelter about the additions, they were very excited.
"Big smiles, grins, cheers and praise, excitement," she said.
Bromley said the center had always taken service animals and emotional support animals within reason, but had never been pet-friendly. During part of the pandemic, the center used motels to house people because it was easier to social distance, she said. The motels were pet-friendly, and in the first nine months of using the motels, Bromley said they housed seven pets. Over the past year and a half, they've housed nine dogs and five cats.
They also worked with Ahimsa House to foster pets for their clients, but she said domestic violence victims still have to give up their pets for a period of time.
"There's a period of time where the owner doesn't have, a pet parent, has nothing to hug, you know, nothing to cuddle up with, and even big dogs are great cuddlers," Bromley said.
"When you talk to our clients, and you hear the need for the comfort that they get from their pets, it just, even to our employees that are skeptical or afraid of animals, it gets to their heart. When they see their clients and they see the happiness or hear it in their voices, being able to have those pets with them means a lot," Bromley said.
Some other domestic violence shelters on the First Coast also have pet-friendly areas. Quigley House in Clay County has a pet shelter. Micah's Place in Nassau County allows pets. Hubbard House in Jacksonville said it can arrange to board pets for free.
Help is available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233. The Glynn Community Crisis Center is also available 24/7 at 912-264-4357.