*Nylah, *Smokey and *Eleanor

*Nylah, *Smokey, and their human-mum, *Eleanor, lived in a peaceful home with other renters until one flatmate started dating a new man called John.

A few weeks went by. Holes were punched in walls and arguments ran through the house. Nylah and Smokey hid from the chaos until both her flatmate and new partner, John, moved out abruptly.

Everything returned to normal for a few days but then people came searching for John at Eleanor’s rental.

“I told them he wasn’t here, and they told me that he owed money, and the debt was now mine. I told the guy at my door that I didn’t know the man from a bar of soap, but he told me I had until Saturday to pay – or else. The next day, there was somebody else at my back door. I came down the stairs, and there was another person at my front door too.

They said they would continue to visit this house until they got their money back and that they didn't care who they hurt, so I rang the police, and they suggested I leave home immediately.”

Eleanor had nowhere she could go that would take Nylah and Smokey, so she rang Pet Refuge for an emergency pickup for her beloved cats.

“I gave you guys a ring and one of your lovely ladies came and picked Nylah and Smokey up and said that they could look after them until I found somewhere safe, which was the weight off my shoulders because I couldn’t abandon them both”.

Violence isn’t exclusive to family members and partners, it can be from neighbours, friends and flatmates too.