For some survivors of intimate partner violence, leaving an abusive relationship might mean facing a difficult choice between prioritizing their own safety and that of a beloved pet.A study of 86 residents at 16 domestic violence shelters in Canada found that concern for a pet’s safety is a significant factor in decisions about when to leave an abusive relationship. A recent evidence review shows that abusive partners may threaten, injure or kill animals to intimidate and control other members of the household.These experiences help explain why animal maltreatment is increasingly recognized as an important community safety risk. That connection received specific attention in Ontario, where the Standing Committee on Justice Policy released a report on intimate partner violence in December 2025. The report (which the NDP accused of being partly AI-generated but that I have independently verified) contains important, well-considered and well-researched information. Among its findings was recognition that animal maltreatment can be linked to intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, coercive control and broader community safety concerns. The report creates an opportunity to bring this overlooked issue into public discussion.The ‘violence link,’ explainedResearchers have spent decades studying what is termed the “violence link”, a pattern in which animal maltreatment — abuse, cruelty and neglect — and violence directed toward humans occur together.While this does not mean that everyone who harms an animal will become violent toward people, animal maltreatment frequently occurs alongside other forms of family and interpersonal violence. Studies in Canada and internationally have found higher rates of animal maltreatment in homes where intimate partner violence is occurring, and have linked it with more severe forms of intimate partner violence. Perhaps the most important insight from this research is the role animals can play in coercive control — patterns of behaviour designed to dominate, isolate and create fear over time. Abusive relationships also involve psychological tactics intended to maintain power over a partner, and animals can become part of that strategy.Threatening or harming a pet, withholding veterinary care and abandoning an animal are all forms of animal maltreatment that can be used to punish, intimidate or manipulate another person. Research examining animal maltreatment in the context of intimate partner violence has found that these behaviours are often used as deliberate tools of power and control. In these situations, the target is often not only the animal itself but also the emotional bond between the animal and the victim. Canada’s Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, received royal assent in June 2026, with most provisions taking effect on July 18. It addresses these behaviours and adds them as specific offences in the Criminal Code of Canada.Children may also be affected. Young people who witness animal maltreatment are often exposed to other forms of violence, intimidation or neglect within the home.Research has linked childhood exposure to animal maltreatment with later behavioural and developmental concerns. For violence prevention professionals, harm directed toward animals can provide important clues about a child’s environment and about opportunities to support children early. Read more: People in abusive relationships face many barriers to leaving — pets should not be one How warning signs get missedAs a veterinary forensic scientist, my work at the Ontario Veterinary College has highlighted how information about animal maltreatment can reveal patterns of violence that might otherwise go unnoticed. Veterinarians, social workers, child protection professionals, police officers and victim service providers may each encounter different pieces of the same story. Canadian research involving service providers has highlighted how concerns for animal care and safekeeping frequently intersect with efforts to support survivors of intimate partner violence.The challenge is that our systems often respond to these concerns in isolation.Animal-related information is not consistently incorporated into violence risk assessments, safety planning or information-sharing practices. As a result, opportunities for early intervention may be missed, and information that could help professionals better understand risk may never be shared across agencies.Recognizing the violence link does not mean treating every report of animal maltreatment as evidence of intimate partner violence. It means understanding that harm to animals can sometimes provide important context when other risk factors are present. When professionals collaborate and pay attention to this information, overall risk assessments are strengthened.Changing how risk gets assessedAnimal maltreatment should concern us because animals suffer. But the evidence increasingly suggests it may also reveal risks facing children, partners and families. Ontario’s report offers an opportunity to recognize animal maltreatment as part of a broader conversation about violence prevention and community safety. Using its recommendations to inform policy and practice would help ensure that information about animal harm is included in efforts to assess and reduce risk.Humane Canada and other organizations emphasize that recognizing the violence link can improve both human safety and animal welfare outcomes. When animals are harmed in the context of intimidation, coercion or family violence, the question is not only what happened to the animal, but what that harm may be telling us about the safety of the people around it.Shane Bateman works for Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, and has received external funding to develop Violence Link education for medical professionals. He serves on the Board of Directors of Humane Canada.