HARRISBURG – Gov. Josh Shapiro signed bipartisan legislation into law to better protect victims’ pets in domestic violence situations. House Bill 1210 amends PA’s Protection from Abuse Act to give judges the ability to order the defendant to refrain from possessing, abusing or harming the petitioner’s companion animal. Previously, the Act gave judges the ability to order many kinds of relief to prevent further abuse, but did not have explicit authority to order protective measures of a victim’s pets. According to the Humane Society of the United States, data on domestic violence and child abuse cases reveal that a staggering number of animals are targeted by those who abuse their children or spouses. In one survey, 71% of domestic violence victims reported their abuser also targeted pets. Researchers have found links between coercive control and the abuse of pets, with abusers often using family pets as leverage in the torment of their victims, threatening to harm or kill them if their victims leave. Act 146 of 2024 brings PA in line with 37 other states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
