Domestic Violence Protection Extended to Pets
Friday, March 2nd, 2007February 20, 2007
California may be joining at least three other states in allowing courts to extend domestic protection orders to pets. Under the proposed legislation, a judge could simultaneously grant custody of an animal to a petitioner and order a respondent to stay away from the animal. Research shows a correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence. Many battered women report threats or even actual injuries and/or death to their pets. One goal of the legislation is to prevent spouses or partners from staying in a relationship simply to protect their animals.
For more information on this legislation, see http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0351-0400/sb_353_bill_20070220_introduced.html
