Tawny Hammond, director of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, recognizes Kacey Kirkland, a domestic violence coordinator, who organized the K-9 Krawl. Photo by Steve Hibbard.
In observance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Fairfax County Police personnel from the agency’s Victim Services Unit hosted the 8th Annual K-9 Krawl; a 5K Walk with 307 registered walkers held at the Fairfax County Government Center on Saturday, Oct. 18. The event was created to highlight the link between domestic violence and the link to animal cruelty. In 2013, the police department received more than 11,000 domestic violence calls for service; an average of 928 per month. There were more than 1,600 assaults on family members and 293 violations of protective orders. More than 1,900 people were arrested for offenses relating to domestic violence.