Report on the Pet and Women Safety Act

SUMMARY

This proposed federal legislation, which would extend protection and support for the pets of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence, was supported in a report issued by the Committees on Animal Law, Children and the Law and Domestic Violence. The proposed legislation would amend the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to prohibit threats and acts of violence against a victim’s pet by prohibiting conduct that places a person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, that person’s pet. The proposed legislation also would include a prohibition on interstate violations of protective orders for pets and establish a grant program to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence with pets. The committees wrote that the legislation is necessary because there is a well-established and growing body of research demonstrating a connection between animal cruelty and violence against humans, including domestic violence and child abuse, as animals are often used as a tool to control and harm human victims of domestic violence and child abuse.

Originally Issued February 2015; Reissued March 2015

BILL INFORMATION

H.R. 1258 (Rep. Clark) – to protect the pets of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence (114th Congress (2015-16))