Escaping household abusers - 'IT'S OUR PET PROJECT'

A shared love of animals has inspired this partnership

- Nicky Pellegrino

When designer Denise L'EstrangeCorbet met Julie Chapman at a dinner, instantly they clicked thanks to a shared love of animals.

Denise, who is co-founder of fashion label World, has a much-adored chihuahua called Jethro. Meanwhile, charity boss Julie has two much bigger dogs and 13 cats - yes, she lives on a large property.

While their pets have great lives, the pair are well aware not all animals are so fortunate. Two years ago, Julie founded Pet Refuge, a charity that helps the animals of families who are escaping domestic violence. Using money left to her when her parents died, she set up a shelter, north of Auckland, where pets are cared for until their owners are safe and can be reunited with them.

"Pets are the forgotten victims of domestic violence," says Julie. "Since we've been operating the shelter, some of the things I've heard have been unbelievable. Animals are used as a means of control and coercion. Abusers will do sadistic stuff to a family pet because they know how important they are to their partner or children."

Mostly this is happening to women and, out of fear of what will become of their pet if they're not around, sometimes they will delay leaving. Before Pet Refuge opened, 53 percent of those surveyed in a Women's Refuge study chose to stay in violent homes because there was nowhere for their pets to go while they secured their safety.