When designer Denise L’Estrange-Corbet met Julie Chapman at a dinner, instantly they clicked thanks to a shared love of animals.
Denise, who is co-founder of fashion label World, has a much-adored chihuahua called Jethro. Meanwhile, charity boss Julie has two much bigger dogs and 13 cats – yes, she lives on a large property.
While their pets have great lives, the pair are well aware not all animals are so fortunate. Two years ago, Julie founded Pet Refuge, a charity that helps the animals of families who are escaping domestic violence. Using money left to her when her parents died, she set up a shelter, north of Auckland, where pets are cared for until their owners are safe and can be reunited with them.
“Pets are the forgotten victims of domestic violence,” says Julie. “Since we’ve been operating the shelter, some of the things I’ve heard have been unbelievable. Animals are used as a means of control and coercion. Abusers will do sadistic stuff to a family pet because they know how important they are to their partner or children.”
Mostly this is happening to women and, out of fear of what will become of their pet if they’re not around, sometimes they will delay leaving. Before Pet Refuge opened, 53 percent of those surveyed in a Women’s Refuge study chose to stay in violent homes because there was nowhere for their pets to go while they secured their safety.
The charity doesn’t only care for the cats and dogs of those escaping abuse, they’ve also looked after donkeys, miniature horses, ducks, chickens and even reptiles.
“We take pets from all over New Zealand,” says Julie.
When Denise, 63, learnt about Pet Refuge, she was keen to help. “Before Julie came along, no one had thought about the animals in these situations and it’s heartbreaking,” she says.
Collaborating with luxury dogwear brand Mr Soft Top, she has designed a range of dog coats for sale via Pet Refuge’s online store, as well as at Mr Soft Top and World, with 100 percent of the profits going to the charity.
“By wearing these coats, dogs that have nice lives are helping pets that are going through a hard time,” tells Denise. “And they’ve got the Pet Refuge logo on them, so hopefully that will get a conversation going when people are out at the dog park and spread the word about the great work the charity is doing.”
Both Denise and Julie have personal reasons for wanting to help people and their pets escape domestic violence.
“My father was an abuser,” explains Denise. “He beat my mum all the time, which was why she took us to England. She just had to get as far away as she could. The beatings had gone on for so long.”
In her twenties, Julie, now 50, managed to escape an abusive relationship. “At first, he was super-charming,” she recalls. “He was a love-bombing kind of person, and when you’re young and infatuated with somebody, you think that love-bombing is okay. But it progresses to trying to control almost every aspect of your life and then it becomes physical.
“It took me a long time to get over that as a younger person, but now I think it’s empowered me and influenced the path I’ve taken. And it’s given me a deeper understanding of how hard it can be for people to extract themselves from those sorts of relationships.
“There are so many barriers for women. Often their money is controlled, they’re isolated from friends and family, their self-esteem has been eroded. And then you add a pet to the mix.”
When they arrive at the shelter, many of the animals aren’t in the greatest shape, as withholding veterinary treatment is something abusers will commonly do. Pet Refuge makes sure they are healthy and comfortable – the shelter even has underfloor heating – and then once their families are settled and safe, they can be sent home with a pack containing flea treatment, wormer, food and sometimes a bed.
“That’s why it’s such a great cause,” says Denise. “By buying a Pet Refuge dog coat, it’s not only the pets you’ll be supporting, but their families being able to get them back.”
Denise’s pooch Jethro is among the models on the websites and the coats are available in a range of sizes, for all dogs great and small.
Now they have set the ball rolling, Denise and Julie are keen to collaborate on more pet accessories to keep raising funds for the charity.
“Pet refuge has helped over 350 pets and their families so far,” says Julie. “New Zealand has the highest rate of family violence in the OECD and the second highest rate of pet ownership, so you only have to look at the statistics to know the need is out there.”
To donate or find out more, see mrsofttop.com/pages/petrefuge
