When K9 therapy dog Walter goes out on a call or an appearance, he gets lots of attention and more than a few hugs — something the Carpentersville Police Department’s counting Saturday for its Paws for a Cause fundraising walk.
Proceeds from the event, set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Carpenter Park, will go to programs that assist and support domestic violence survivors.
All pets are invited to participate, partly in an effort to draw attention to the fact that pets can be dilemma domestic violence victims face when involved in or trying to leave an abusive relationship, said Meg Krase, social service coordinator for the Carpentersville Police Department.
A 2017 study showed that 89% of abused women who owned animals reported that their pets were threatened, harmed or killed by their abusive partner, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Many domestic violence victims often don’t want to leave their pets, which they rely on for emotional support and are not allowed to bring to a shelter, Krase said.
“It is often a reason people stay in domestic violence situations,” she said. Victims don’t know where to find a safe place for their pets if they leave, she said.
“We know that connection between animals and people can be so important,” Krase said. “How do you sever that connection to save yourself,” especially if an abuser uses a pet as a bargaining chip to control the victim, she said.
“For a lot of people, their animals become like their children,” Krase said. “We would never expect someone to leave a child in a domestic violence situation to save themselves. … It’s not always as easy as saying, ‘I’ll leave today.'”
Krase is Walter’s handler and brings him along when she talks to victims of crime, including those involving domestic violence.
“I call Walter a giant fidget spinner. People are anxious and nervous, and they don’t want to be at a police station. He makes that instant connection with them. When they are busy petting him, it’s easier for them to talk,” she said.
Walter can help reduce the trauma of victims reliving what happened to them, Krase said. Animals “don’t judge. They are not there to do anything except love you unconditionally,” she said.
The department’s therapy dog program started about two years ago. Krase said she knew she wanted the department to have a therapy dog because she saw firsthand the benefits of animals interacting with crime victims while at the McHenry County Child Advocacy Center.
Walter, an American FoxHound rescue dog, was trained by inmates at a Florida prison. One woman who worked with him was convicted of drunk driving and had been a domestic violence victim, Krase said.
Walter is low maintenance, but he can get rambunctious when she takes him home, she said. He likes to open a doors on his own by manipulating the handle.
“At work, he’s very calm. Then he gets home and he’s a regular crazy house pet,” Krase said. “He knows when he’s working.”
In addition to Krase and Walter, volunteers from the Community Crisis Center of Elgin also will be on hand at the walk.
“We want the community to come out and show support,” Krase said. “We are there to help if anyone is looking for assistance or even just to have someone listen (to them).”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
