Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Our EDI Vision
At Refuge4Pets, our vision is to achieve freedom from domestic abuse for both people and animals. We recognise that domestic abuse does not discriminate, affecting individuals and their pets across all walks of life regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, socio-economic background, or geographic location.
We are fully committed to creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment where every victim-survivor person and animal, volunteer, staff member, trustee and colleague is treated with absolute dignity, empathy, and respect. This is in line with upholding the principles of the Equality Act 2010 and protected characteristics, and other wider areas of discrimination.
At Refuge4Pets, we are a trauma-responsive organisation and believe every victim-survivor (human and animal) deserves to feel safe, valued, respected and able to access appropriate support without fear of judgement or discrimination.
Understanding specific EDI challenges
We recognise that the obstacles to escaping domestic abuse are heavily compounded by wider social inequalities. Perpetrators frequently exploit the bond between victim-survivors and their animals as a tool for coercion, control, and entrapment. We understand that:
- Marginalised communities often face unique hurdles, including limited access to inclusive emergency accommodation, financial disparities, language barriers, and a lack of trusted support networks.
- The fear of leaving a beloved animal behind stops many victim-survivors from escaping an abusive environment. Research highlights that 66% of victim-survivors of domestic abuse will delay leaving, stay or return to an abuser if they cannot take their pets with them.*
- Our approach must be intersectional and trauma-responsive, meaning we actively consider how overlapping identities shape a victim-survivor’s specific trauma and practical needs.
Our EDI Commitment
We commit to actively challenge discrimination in all its forms and work to challenge and reduce the systemic barriers that prevent people and their animals from safely escaping abuse.
We are committed to making sure that our service reflects the diversity of our community, developing a trusted presence and providing care that is tailored to our service users’ (human and animal) unique identities, circumstances, and needs.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where all staff and volunteers feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive in their roles.
We know that working to achieve equity, diversity and inclusion is critical to making sure that as many people and animals as possible can contribute to
and/or benefit from our service. Our work in this area is supported by our core values.