Amber’s DV Survivor Story

By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager –

Content warning: this article contains descriptions of animal abuse.

Luka* had endured more hardship and suffering in his four months of puppyhood than many dogs do in a lifetime. He didn’t bear it alone: Amber* was with him through everything. He had found her at her lowest point, cautiously approaching her car where she had been sleeping. From then on, they faced the world together.

The love between Luka and Amber came at a cost: the person who had been abusing her began abusing him, too. For every beating Amber suffered, Luka was beaten just as viciously. It hurt her doubly to see him suffer – that was the abuser’s goal. She didn’t think things could get worse than beatings until Luka was targeted with an acid attack. They could no longer stay and risk their lives, so without knowing what would come next, Amber took Luka and left.

Once they arrived at the domestic violence shelter, Amber learned that Luka wouldn’t be able to stay there with her. It would be the first time they’d been separated in all of their time together. She held onto him tightly as her advocate explained their options. Luka was her best friend, and she couldn’t live without him, so the RedRover Relief Safe Escape grant program seemed to Amber to be the next best option if they couldn’t stay together, as long as he was safe.

Amber needed to heal physically and emotionally while she was in the shelter. And while she and Luka couldn’t heal side-by-side as she hoped, her recovery was focused on and motivated by reuniting in a new, safe home. She never got used to being away from him, but over time, the days seemed to pass. It wasn’t long before she was ready to leave the domestic violence shelter and pick Luka up on their way home.

“Luka is my best friend and part of my family. I was injured when I came into the shelter, and both he and I were bruised and abused. I was not healthy enough to care for Luka on my own. Knowing he was boarded and all the expenses were paid allowed me to heal while he was being spoiled and cared for. It meant the world to me.”

Amber and Luka continued their healing together in the comfort and safety of their new home. Their bond had always been strong, but now it was unbreakable for what they had endured together. Luka was still so young, and he and Amber could now spend many more years together in peace. That’s the lifesaving difference your support and a Safe Escape grant make.

*Names have been changed to protect privacy