Research shows that a majority of victims of family violence stay in dangerous situations for too long, fearing that their animals will be harmed, neglected, or killed. Pets are often used by abusive individuals as a method to exert control, a bargaining chip, to stop victims from leaving a violent home, or to force their return. The Pet Refuge, one of the first such shelters to open in the world, looks after animals until survivors find a safe place where they can then be reunited with their pets.