When Safety Includes the Ones We Love: Ashley’s Story and BestyBnB’s Partnership with Harbor House
Week of Jan 19th • 2025
Leaving Fear Behind: Ashley, Lady, & Lucky’s Story
For many survivors of domestic violence, leaving an abusive relationship isn’t just about finding safety for themselves; it’s about finding safety for the ones they love most. Pets are often a vital source of comfort, stability, and unconditional love during abuse. Yet they are also frequently used as tools of power and control. When shelters are unable to accommodate animals, survivors are left with an impossible choice: stay in danger or leave their pets behind.
BestyBnB is proud to partner with Harbor House of Central Florida to expand domestic violence services available to survivors with pets. Harbor House’s Kennel Advocate, Amanda Mann, shared the following survivor story. Please be advised: this story includes graphic threats of violence toward animals. Identifying details have been changed to protect the survivor’s safety.
For years, Ashley endured physical abuse, holding onto hope that things might someday change. Through it all, her two beloved cats - Lady and Lucky - were her comfort and her reason to keep going. Though her partner never physically harmed them, everything changed during one violent argument when he threatened to skin her cats alive. That moment became Ashley’s breaking point.
Ashley believed she could endure the abuse herself - but she knew her cats could not. The next day, while her partner was at work, she gathered what she could and began calling domestic violence shelters. Time and again, she was told the same thing: they couldn’t accommodate her cats. Just when it felt like escape might be impossible, Ashley found Harbor House of Central Florida.
When Ashley arrived at the shelter, fear and uncertainty followed close behind. Would Lady and Lucky be safe? Would they adjust to shelter life? Veterinary visits for updated vaccines and Lucky’s neuter surgery added to the stress of those early days. Lucky began hissing, something Ashley had never seen before, and Lady withdrew completely, hiding beneath the cat kennels whenever she could.
Despite the uncertainty, Ashley felt overwhelming gratitude. Knowing her cats were safe, cared for, and allowed to stay with her made all the difference. In the weeks that followed, healing began - quietly, gently, and at its own pace. Lucky slowly relearned trust and started greeting familiar faces with soft meows, leaning in for chin scratches from Ashley and the Kennel Advocate. Lady emerged from hiding, exploring tall shelves, climbing perches, and watching the world through the large screened catio windows.
As Lady and Lucky began to heal, so did Ashley. At Harbor House, Ashley found more than safety. She attended counseling, participated in group activities, and secured a new job. Surrounded by support and empowered by stability, she began to rebuild her life. When the time came, Ashley left shelter and returned to her hometown - stronger, safer, and more confident than ever before.
Ashley’s story underscores a heartbreaking truth: without safe options for pets, escape is often impossible. Pet-inclusive sheltering isn’t a convenience; it’s a critical safety intervention. Harbor House’s commitment to keeping survivors and their pets together didn’t just change Ashley’s life; it saved it.
BestyBnB is honored to partner with Harbor House to expand the support available to survivors in Central Florida and to increase the number of organizations that recognize the powerful human-animal bond and its role in survivor safety, healing, and long-term stability. When we protect pets, we protect people and create pathways to safety that truly leave no one behind.
To support survivors and their pets, like Ashley, Lady, and Lucky, become a Pet Caregiver today!