If You Were in a Personal Crisis and Had to Leave Your Home Quickly, What Would Happen to Your Pet?

Connie Sullivan, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Missouri, discovered that in some spousal abuse cases, the injured party refused to leave the house out of fear of what would happen to the family pet. Ms. Sullivan teamed up with the University of Missouri at Columbia Veterinary College, and created the "PetSafe" program.

This program is based on a similar one started at Purdue University. It gives a pet a safe place to stay while the appropriate government and social service agencies provide assistance to victims of domestic violence.

Pets have truly become a part of the family. When the family is being torn apart, all members need protection. For information on how to start such a program in your community, contact the University of Missouri at Columbia, Veterinary College.