Owners reunited with dogs after escaping abusive situations

Some of the rooms at Pet Refuge. Photo / Supplied

Two dogs that were among the first to go to a new refuge for animals affected by domestic violence, have been reunited with their owners.

The pair spent a week at Pet Refuge in Auckland, while their owners were escaping abusive situations.

The purpose-built Pet Refuge was opened earlier this month and is able take up to 75 animals at a time, keeping them safe until they can be reunited with owners.

Programme manager Nikki Marchant-Ludlow said the reunion happened before lockdown and was hugely emotional.

"They were delighted to have their pets back, they knew that they'd been well cared for," she said.

"Just to see the kind of joy on their faces when they were reunited with their pets ... was really great.

"It just really cemented for me that the service is really needed and is valued."

Marchant-Ludlow said a number of other pets at the refuge were also set to be reunited with their owners once lockdown was over.

Some pets had also come in during lockdown and Marchant-Ludlow admitted she was worried about the rates of domestic violence during this time.

"In the first lockdown that we had, we know that police received increased numbers of reported family violence," she said.

"So it is a concern for us that, again, we're seeing those same situations, so we are concerned that we're going to see those numbers increase again."

Where to go for help or more information

• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843

• Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633

• It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz

• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584

• Ministry of Justice: www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice/domestic-violence

• National Network of Stopping Violence: www.nnsvs.org.nz

• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women www.whiteribbon.org.nz

How to hide your visit

If you are reading this information on the Herald website and you're worried that someone using the same computer will find out what you've been looking at, you can follow the steps at the link here to hide your visit.

Each of the websites above also have a section that outlines this process.