Loudoun Animal Control's SAVE Program Receives National Recognition

Loudoun County Animal Control has received national recognition from the Animals and Society Institute for its animal abuse and domestic violence prevention program, SAVE (Stop Abuse and Violence Effort).

Created by Loudoun County Animal Control Officer Chris Brosan, the program aims to combat violence in the home through a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the safety of humans and animals alike.

Brosan developed the program in 2013 to address the co-occurrence of animal abuse and familial violence, county officials said in a statement. One of the program’s goals is to educate the public about the dynamic correlation between animal abuse and other types of domestic violence.

The Loudoun County Department of Animal Services received two awards in April from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Animal Services awards ceremony. Brosan was presented with the Humane Education Award for creating SAVE to mitigate the link between animal abuse and familial violence. The department was honored with the Animal Care Award for its commitment to finding homes for difficult adoption candidates.