By the time a dog reaches Forget Me Not Canine Centre, something in its life has usually gone wrong. Sometimes an owner’s circumstances have changed. Sometimes there has been abandonment, neglect or abuse.

We begin with what we know and try to understand what that dog needs next. We may never know the whole story. We meet the dog, but not necessarily everyone who lived with it. Yet behind the circumstances that bring an animal into care, there can be people whose lives have also been affected by fear and harm.

That is the connection we want to recognise this Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. Picture a home where everyone watches one person’s mood. A partner chooses their words carefully. A child stays quiet when voices rise. The dog moves away when someone approaches. These are different experiences, but fear can shape life for all of them.

When someone uses force to get their way, the dog can become another target. It may be hit for barking, punished for an accident or frightened until it stops responding. What the owner calls control may be an animal trying to avoid being hurt.

That same person may use intimidation against a partner. When they know how much the dog means to that person, the two forms of harm can become intertwined.

Threatening the animal can silence someone. Hurting it can punish them. Fear for its safety can keep them from leaving. Using a pet in this way is a recognised form of coercive control.

For someone who loves a dog, that fear needs little explanation. This is the companion that sits beside them after a difficult day and offers comfort. Now they must consider leaving it with the person they fear. Where can they take it? Who could keep it safe? What will happen after they go?

We have heard the stories of people facing that dilemma. Research reflects it too. In one small American study of 38 women seeking refuge at a domestic violence shelter, 71 per cent of those reporting present or past pet ownership said their partner had threatened, hurt or killed a pet.

Those were the experiences of a particular group of women, rather than a measure of what happens in Bermuda. Domestic abuse can affect people of any gender, including men and people in LGBTQ+ relationships.

Every victim deserves to be heard and supported. Eventually, someone may reach out. A concern is reported. Help becomes involved. Different organisations then begin working with different members of the same household.

FMN does not work directly with domestic abuse survivors. Through our close work with the Government Animal Wardens, however, we are aware that they encounter situations where concerns for animals and people overlap. They pick up the pieces for the animal, while organisations such as the Women’s Resource Centre and Centre Against Abuse help survivors begin to pick up theirs.

Our work is connected. We support different lives, but shared warning signs can alert us to suffering beyond the individual in front of us. Recognising those connections can help services respond earlier, reduce fear for people and animals, and limit the lasting harm of trauma or crisis.

Our part may come later, when a dog is transferred into our care. There may be medical needs, uncertainty about its behaviour and decisions to make about its future. We cannot assume what it has experienced, but we can offer care and work towards safety.

Recovery takes more than a change of address. Some dogs need time, patient handling and professional support. Sadly, some cannot be rehabilitated safely despite those efforts. These are heartbreaking realities, reminding us why preventing suffering matters so much. They also bring us back to education.

At FMN, we aim to help children and adults practise kindness towards all creatures. It is there in how we respond to a frightened dog, how we teach it and how we behave when it does something inconvenient. Children watch those moments. They learn whether frustration is met with patience or force, and whether another living being’s fear deserves attention. When a child deliberately harms an animal, we need to protect the animal and seek appropriate help for the child.

That willingness to notice must continue into adulthood. If we witness cruelty, concerns should reach the government animal wardens or police. If someone tells us they are frightened, we should listen and help them connect with support safely. We cannot know every story behind a closed door. We can care enough to respond when suffering becomes visible.

This month, FMN stands with victims and survivors of domestic abuse, and the organisations helping them rebuild. Our hope is shared: fewer people and animals living in fear, and fewer pieces left to pick up.

For domestic abuse support, call the Centre Against Abuse’s 24-hour hotline on 297-8278. In an immediate emergency, call 911.

• Kelly Glazebrook is cofounder of Forget Me Not Canine Centre, a dedicated canine rescue charity committed to saving and re-homing dogs in need in Bermuda.For more information, go tohttps://www.forgetmenotcaninecenter.com/