Expanding the Scope of Emergency IPV Sheltering: Moral Entrepreneurs and the Co-Sheltering of Companion Animals

Abstract Purpose: Companion animals are rarely co-sheltered in intimate partner violence (IPV) shelters in Canada, despite their common consideration as family, and an awareness of the “the Link” between human and nonhuman abuse. This article reports on the few IPV facilities in Ontario who do house their clients’ companion animals and seeks to identify how co-sheltering is emerging as part of the evolution of IPV sheltering. Methods: This study is part of a larger research project, which utilizes semi-structured interviews with Ontario IPV shelter workers and volunteers to assess how companion animals fit in these facilities. Guided by the principles of action research, these conversations were textually analyzed for themes and sentiments regarding co-sheltering. This paper reports on co-shelter facilities and practices present in the larger sample. Results:We find that co-sheltering is a grassroots action undertaken by moral entrepreneurs who engage in covert and overt actions to expand the circle of care in these spaces. These actions are also found to be in response to the ongoing social problem of gendered violence; these moral entrepreneurs follow in the footsteps of those who began to organize in the 1970s from a feminist standpoint, addressing a gap in shelter and safety for women affected by this social problem. Conclusions: We find that the provision of co-sheltering in IPV facilities appears to depend solely on the action of shelter workers “on-the-ground”, who identify an urgent need to expand the scope of care in their shelter to include clients’ companion animals. More research is needed to learn about IPV co-shelters elsewhere in the country, and to study the impact of this inclusive housing option on the lives of clients, workers, and companion animals.