*Scout was hidden for five days

Doors were smashed. Walls were damaged. For *Scout, home had become a frightening place filled with violence and fear.

Scout had always been deeply connected to her family. She seemed to know when someone was struggling and would stay close when they needed her most.

But as the violence escalated, Scout was living surrounded by tension, fear and destruction.

When things were at their worst, her human-mum noticed Scout staying nearby and watching from a distance — wanting to be close while also trying to keep herself safe.

The violence had taken away the place where Scout should have felt safest.

Then the family lost their home. Emergency accommodation didn’t allow pets, and there was no trusted friend or family member who could take Scout.

For five days, they hid her because they had nowhere else for her to go.

“We were doing everything we could to hold onto her while trying to survive ourselves.”

After living surrounded by violence, Scout desperately needed somewhere safe where she could begin recovering from the emotional trauma she had experienced.

Pet Refuge provides temporary shelter and care for pets while families escape family violence, including nationwide transport, a safe bed, vet care, food and bespoke enrichment and training.

Scout’s family had escaped the violence, but their emergency accommodation couldn’t take her. For five days, they did everything they could to keep Scout close while facing the reality that they had nowhere safe for her to go.

Pet Refuge gave Scout the security and stability she desperately needed, while her family could focus on finding their feet without the added fear of what would happen to her.

For Scout, it meant finally having a safe place where she no longer needed to watch from a distance or live surrounded by fear — she could begin to settle, recover and simply be a much-loved pet again.