Closed petition Introduce a Pet Removal/Protection Order for victims of Domestic Abuse

Closed on 11 September 2020

Domestic abusers use threats or actual abuse of pets to control and coerce their human victims to do or abstain from many activities. The fear of what may happen to the pet prevents human victims leaving their abusers, and keeps children quiet about their abuse. Enable the safe removal of pets.

By enabling the safe removal of pets, abuse victims will be encouraged to leave their situation of abuse. Some do leave, but return and are revictimised or put themselves at unnecessary risk. Many services exist to help these victims, but often the victims feel they are alone in their experience, and think people will ignore them or laugh at them for putting such a high importance on a much loved pet. Nor does current animal welfare legislation does not cover this, or all pets.