In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, please join the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund for a panel that introduces the connection between domestic violence and animal abuse. This event is co-sponsored by the Woman's Law Caucus. Lunch provided.

Our guest speaker is Attorney Victoria Rambo, a staff attorney at the Texas Advocacy Project (TAP).

Ms. Rambo is personally involved in the animal law community in Austin along with her work on domestic violence cases with TAP.

Animal protection and domestic violence professionals have established that a strong correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence exists.

Women who enter shelters often report that their batterer has injured, maimed, killed, or threatened the family pet for revenge or to psychologically establish control. More than often, violence towards animals in the domestic setting occurs while children are present. It has been documented that domestic violence victims whose animals have been abused see the animal cruelty as just another step in a long history of violent behavior directed at them and their children. Often, victims in these situations resist entering shelters as they fear leaving their pets behind will put the animals at risk at the hands of their abuser.

This panel will address these issues, and among others, the role of law enforcement and the legal system in this area. For more information and to RSVP please email us at saldf.texas.law@gmail.com.