Paws for Kids was started by a group of women who recognised that there is a gap in the provision of services to women and their families who were escaping from violent homes. While refuges could accommodate women and their children, they could not take in any pets belonging to the family. Animals had to be either left behind to suffer at the hands of the violent man, given away to someone else or even put down. Often women remain in a violent relationship rather than have to abandon their pets to a violent fate or give them away permanently. Paws for Kids fostering service offers some peace of mind for women and their children, knowing their pets are safe while they await re-housing from a refuge.