Bayer Donates $10,000 To 180 Turning Lives Around

HAZLET, NJ — You may not know it, but when a woman is abused or suffers domestic violence, oftentimes her pet is abused as well. In fact, in many cases a women will not leave her abuser because she is afraid to leave the family pet behind.

That's what prompted Bayer, the makers of the headache medicine, to donate $130,000 to domestic violence shelters across the nation, including the locally-known 180 Turning Lives Around. Their women's shelter is in an undisclosed location; the office headquarters of 180 Turning Lives Around are in Hazlet.

Bayer gave each of the 13 shelters a $10,000 donation; the money is specifically earmarked to help women who are fleeing physical, mental and emotional abuse with their pets. The donations are carried out by a group called Grants Fur Families.

Women and men who use 180's services can now bring their pets with them.

"With the generous grant from Bayer, 180 Turning Lives Around will be able to enhance our new program within our safe house," said Liz Graham, the associate director at 180. "This allows our residents to bring their pets to live with them in our facility. Specifically, we will be using the funds to install fencing in an area where residents can enjoy outdoor time with their pets."

180 Turning Lives Around has long been respected in this region, and has helped hundreds of women in Central New Jersey and along the Bayshore permanently escape domestic violence.

Grants Fur Families "enables domestic violence shelters to offer on-site pet care so women aren't forced to choose between staying in a dangerous situation and leaving their pet behind," said Bayer in a statement.

According to the National Coalition for Domestic Violence, 71 percent of pet-owning women who entered women’s shelters reported that their batterer had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control them.

In fact, nearly half of abused women stay in their abusive relationships out of concern for the welfare of their cat or dog.

Pets may suffer unexplained injuries, health problems, permanent disabilities at the hands of abusers or disappear from home.

Children are not immune from the violence: Abusers kill, harm, or threaten children’s pets to coerce them into sexual abuse or to force them to remain silent about abuse. Children who witness domestic violence also reported killing or harming animals to emulate their parents’ conduct, or to take out their aggressions on another victim.

Do you need to talk to someone? To speak with a counselor anonymously and confidentially, contact 180’s hotline: 1-888-843-9262.