Stop Domestic Abusers From Using Pets as Blackmail

Target: Patrick Leahy, Chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee

Goal: Support facilities that protect individuals and pets harmed by domestic abuse.

Pet owners in domestically abusive relationships may be more likely to remain at risk due to concerns about their animal’s welfare. One senator is fighting to reduce that risk. Senator Gary Peters is urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to allocate $3 million in funding for the Pet and Women Safety Act (PAWS). This legislation supports facilities that help women and their pets who have been victims of domestic abuse, stalking, and sexual violence. Senators including Bernie Sanders and Kyrsten Sinema added their signatures to the letter urging funding from the committee.

This letter comes at a time when domestic violence has been on the rise due to the pandemic. A study has shown that many abusers use the threat of hurting pets to keep a hold on their partners. The PAWS Act can use the funding to help those who need to escape these grim situations. Sign the petition below to urge the Senate Appropriations Committee to pass The PAWS Act and fund them to save many women and their pets from abuse.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Chairman Leahy,

Funding and passing the PAWS Act is a crucial step toward helping victims and their pets that have been through abuse. Many senators are supporting this legislation and we demand you listen to them. Studies show how important it is, during this pandemic specifically, to help victims. Abusers use the threat of hurting pets to keep a hold on their partners, the animals deserve safety too.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Jonathan Kriz

36 Comments

  1. Absolutely! Remove one of the means to continue this ongoing war upon women and domestic animals (and children as well).

  2. D.M. has the right idea. Thank you. Our laws do not protect women, children, or pets involved in domestic abuse. Why? Society leans more to the men, and women don’t seem to matter. Women make less pay than the male counterparts. Women report abuse and it’s usually overlooked. A woman isn’t given choice as to her body and in politics men tell the women what they can and can not do or say. Women make up this society equally, children need to grown up without fear of a male parent, and animals are usually hurt or killed just to prove abusive power over women. Tough laws will respect women and save them from harm from abusive partners.

  3. Pets ARE family!!!
    And should remain with the victims and the children.

    • Yes. And idiots who feel that humans matter more than dogs or other pets should not be allowed to have any pets. What’s the point if at some point it comes down to it, they will choose their offspring or other humans sacrificing a poor helpless animal. Why even take a chance?

  4. Any psychopath who purposefully abuses any living being whether it is a human or an animal needs to be removed permanently from the planet.

  5. Pets are family. The whole family need support. Sometimes the furry part of the family is all that’s keeping everyone sane. Having to leave it or give it up could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Help them all.

  6. Maria Bertrand says:

    Yes Yes Yes.

    Please fund and pass the PAWS Act.! You should protect ALL pets as you would humans. Thank you!

  7. any man who abuses a woman child or animals should be equally abused. they don’t deserve a light sentence, or no jail time or a psych exam. these losers never change and they never get any better. either lock em up or string em up, the choice is open!

  8. Pets need to be protected too. When humans leave a violent situation they need to be able to take all pets with them. Abusers who threaten to hurt and kill pets are heartless monsters who need to sit in prison.

  9. Domestic abusers often kill the pets because they know how much the woman and children love them and they will not be prosecuted. An animal is innocent! The animal is treated cruelly to scare the humans into staying and not reporting what is going on. Animals need protection everyday and punishment must be very harsh

  10. Rose Coffey says:

    I am in total support of the PAWS Act. The use of pets in punishing and controlling a partner has become all too frequent.

  11. WHEN I TELL AS A COMMENT THAT HEY MAY KILL HE ABUSERS TOO, THEY DISMISS ME FOR 3 DAYS (LIKE THEY DD TODAY) FROM THE FACEBOOK TO GIVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.

  12. Pets are family too and therefore should be protected just the same!

  13. I agree with this 100% Animals deserve to be protected from abuse just as much as people do, probably more because they cannot speak up for themselves. Domestic abusers need to be thrown in jail and locked away for the rest of their lives. There is no excuse for looking the other way on this. Please approve this bill.

  14. This absolutely needs to be passed. It is so important that abusers can no longer harm animals in a domestic violence situation. Women stay with their abusers because they don’t want their pets to be harmed. Abuse a person and you think they won’t harm an animal.

  15. I stand with 🇺🇦 Ukraine

    Ban all cat meat trade !!!!!

  16. Anne Elizabeth Ljung says:

    Ok

  17. Joseph Kenosky says:

    End this garbage!

  18. Susan Ecks says:

    ANIMALS NEED OUR VOICE TO BE PROTECTED FROM ABUSERS WHO HARM THEM!!! ANY MONSTER WHO ABUSES AN INNOCENT ANIMAL DESERVES TO BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW AND NEVER EVER BE ALLOWED TO BE NEAR ANOTHER ANIMAL AGAIN!!!!

  19. Carl Gustafson says:

    I urge these violent motherfuckers to fall on their swords and end their miserable, unnecessary life on earth. And do us all a favor, including their spouses.

  20. BEAT THESE COWARDS INTO A BLOODY PULP AND THEN PUT THEM IN PRISON!

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