Protecting Pets From Domestic Abuse
Threats such as "Leave me and I’ll kill the dog" can prevent a battered spouse from leaving his/her home to seek help, according to "Saving Fido" by Arin Greenwood, which was published in a recent ABA Journal eReport.
In response, Maine has become the first state to pass a law giving judges the explicit power to include pets in personal protective orders issued in domestic violence cases, which authorizes pets to be taken into custody and temporarily placed in a foster home for its safety. Apparently, Vermont, New York, and Illinois are all considering similar legislation.
Even before this new law was passed, Maine had already launched a program in 2001 called Pets and Women to Safety (PAWS), which provides foster homes for the pets of domestic violence victims on a confidential basis. At first glance, this might seem to be much ado about nothing, until you consider that Maine State Representative John Piotti estimates that "70 percent of the victims of domestic abuse also have their pets threatened."
Source: Thanks to Jeanne Hannah for her post, "Pets Included in PPOs?," at the Updates in Michigan Family Law blog on this article.
I live in Greenwood SC inwhich my Soon to be Ex. did kill 2 of my dogs, called me to come home, and told me what he had done. I called law enforcement that would not follow up on the report. In fact the dogs were shot over 5 times.