March 2009

Dear Friend,

Pet Protection Order Bills Introduced

The 2009 legislative season opened with multiple states considering bills that would include animals in domestic violence protection orders. Bills have been introduced in Arizona (SB 1278), Georgia (HB 429), Hawaii (SB 1086), Iowa (HF 32 and SF 70), Maryland (HB 901 and SB 736), Massachusetts (HD 1319 and HD 1499), Minnesota (SF 838/HF 1396), Nebraska (LD 83), New Jersey (AB 1419), New Mexico (HB 434), Ohio (HB 55), South Carolina (H. 3117), Texas (HB 853/SB 1840), Virginia (HB 2381), Washington (HB 1148) and Wyoming (HB 206).

Most of these bills have fairly standard language authorizing a court to (1) order that the petitioner be granted the exclusive care, custody or control of animals and (2) order the respondent to stay away from the animals. However, the Massachusetts bill has several unique provisions. House Docket 1319 would also assist abused persons in finding temporary shelter for animals whose safety is threatened, and would declare expenses incurred as a result of injury in a domestic violence situation to be compensable. In addition, the bill authorizes a feasibility study to expand the service dog training program at Massachusetts Correctional Institution - Framingham to accommodate canine victims of domestic violence needing foster placement.

Unfortunately, the bills filed in Wyoming and Virginia failed to pass before the legislatures adjourned. Nebraska’s bill failed to receive enough votes to advance out of committee and on to the House floor.

To follow the progress of these and other Link-related bills, you can use American Humane’s legislative tracking tool.

Link Coalition Launched In Connecticut

The Connecticut Safe Pet Project, the first Link coalition effort in that state, is being launched on May 1 by Our Companions Domestic Animal Sanctuary, Connecticut’s first pet Safe Haven program. Annie Chittenden, who was a participant at the National Link Coalition Town Hall meeting in Portland, Maine, last June, reports that the Town Hall’s high energy and networking provided the impetus behind the project. With a long-term goal of establishing a statewide Link coalition, Connecticut Safe Pet is reaching out to law school students at Quinnipiac University and Yale University, as well as to veterinarians, women's shelters, elderly protective services, and youth and family services agencies that provide counseling and crisis support.

Despite research demonstrating how animals are abused to coerce and control the human victims of intimate partner violence, a surprising philosophical difference emerged between animal welfare and domestic violence organizations: the former believe that abused animals should not be allowed to go back to an abusive home if the woman chooses to return, while the latter recognize that this difficult decision rests with the woman alone. The Connecticut Safe Pet Project addresses this issue by providing full disclosure of its terms of service in a Client Consent and Release Agreement, allowing victims of abuse to make an informed decision before requesting protective services for their animals.

San Antonio Link Coalition Reorganized

The San Antonio Link Committee got a Texas-sized jumpstart in February when 16 representatives from animal care and human services agencies convened for a reorganizational effort. Phil Arkow, American Humane’s Link director, facilitated a six-hour process to help the group explore organizational dynamics and structures and identify potential collaborative projects. The meeting was an attempt to revitalize a committee that had been dormant.

Sallie Scott, who organized the event, told the San Antonio Express-News that she is hoping The Link will provide a starting point for area agencies to begin meeting and sharing information on a regular basis. “That’s one of the things that’s been lacking. People from different agencies go to the same house. They need to communicate what they see. It’s keeping your eyes open and reporting,” Scott said.

The Link In The News

Three recent news stories vividly demonstrate what The Link is all about:

In Scottsbluff, Neb., county judge James Worden issued a groundbreaking ruling in ordering an abused cat named Max to be removed from a home and housed at the Panhandle Humane Society because the owner’s boyfriend had a history of animal abuse and domestic violence. The boyfriend, Dustin Teahon, 21, pleaded guilty to three counts of domestic assault and animal cruelty for assaulting the woman, kicking Max down the basement stairs and beating a kitten that later died. Several days later the couple was involved in a fight and the woman stated that she was afraid for her life.

In Mission Viejo, Calif., concerned neighbors called Orange County sheriff’s deputies when they saw Azure, an 8-month-old pit bull puppy, covered with blood. The dog’s owner had downed a bottle of alcohol, gotten into a fight with his girlfriend that turned physical and then stabbed the dog seven times, including between its eyes, with a martial arts sword. The couple had been under stress; the girlfriend was recently unemployed. When police investigated the apartment they found bloodied martial arts weapons and marijuana being cultivated in a closet. Azure underwent surgery and is recovering. The woman has received therapy, and the perpetrator was sentenced to jail.

In Chippewa Falls, Wis., sheriff’s deputies conducting a welfare check on children charged a man with four felonies and four misdemeanors for allegedly shooting two dogs and four cats while six children were forced to listen. The charges included reckless endangerment, mental harm to a child, possession of a firearm while intoxicated and mistreatment of animals. The suspect, who had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend, admitted he had consumed 26 to 29 cans of beer and believed from talking to bar patrons that he could legally shoot his own animals. If convicted on all counts he could face $70,000 in fines and more than 25 years in prison.

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