Pets and protection orders: Experts say animals keep people in abusive relationships

Advocates hope to enact pet protections in Nebraska through the Legislature this year.

Advocates hope to enact pet protections in Nebraska through the Legislature this year.

AND THE WOMEN’S FUND OF OMAHA SAYS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS OFTEN RETURN TO THEIR ABUSERS. OUT OF CONCERN FOR THEIR ANIMALS. TO HELP BREAK THAT CYCLE AND PROTECT BOTH SURVIVORS AND THE PETS, ADVOCATES ARE TURNING TO THE UNICAMERAL KETV NEWSWATCH 7 ALEX MCALOON HAS THE STORY. PETS CAN COMMAND OUR LIVES. CAN YOU SEND THEM A PICTURE OF YOUR DOG AND SOMEHOW THEY PHOTOSHOPPED IT OUT AND PUT IT ON THEIR. A GENDER BASED VIOLENCE EXPERT WITH THE WOMEN’S FUND OF OMAHA SAYS HOUSEHOLD ANIMALS CAN EVEN BE A POWER DYNAMIC IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS. ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE SEE POWER AND CONTROL BEING EXERCISED BY ABUSERS IS BY SAYING IF YOU LEAVE, I’M GOING TO HARM YOUR PET. IF YOU DO SOMETHING THAT I DON’T LIKE, THE PET IS GOING TO PAY THE PRICE, WHICH IN SOME WAYS IS MORE IMPACTFUL THAN SAYING, I’M GOING TO HURT YOU FOR AT LEAST A DECADE. NICK ZADINA AND OTHER ADVOCATES TRIED TO GET LEGISLATIVE BILL 11 ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. IF SENATORS SIGN THIS BILL INTO LAW, IT WOULD PUT PETS ON PROTECTION ORDERS, BECAUSE HERE IN NEBRASKA, THEY’RE ONLY CONSIDERED POSSESSIONS. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY, YOU ARE MORE THAN A POSSESSION. POLICE COULD ARREST ABUSERS WHO THREATEN ANIMALS IF THEY SHARE WITH A PARTNER. THE HUMANE SOCIETY SEEN IT FIRSTHAND WITH PROJECT PET SAVE TEMPORARILY HOUSING COMPANIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS. THE PETS HAVE BEEN WITH THEM THROUGH EVERYTHING LEADING UP TO THEM. FINALLY DECIDING TO LEAVE. LAWMAKERS HAVE STRUGGLED TO DEFINE PETS AND SEPARATE HOUSEHOLD ANIMALS FROM LIVESTOCK. 37 OTHER STATES ENACTED SUCH PROTECTIONS. NOW, BELLEVUE’S CAROL BLOOD WAITS FOR MORE DEBATE, INTRODUCING LBY 11 THIS SESSION. I THINK IN THE LAST FEW DECADES, PEOPLE ARE GETTING A KEENER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AND WHAT PREVENTS VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS FROM LEAVING THAT SITUATION. 71% OF PET OWNING WOMEN ENTERING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS TELL THE NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THEIR ABUSER THREATENED, HARMED OR EVEN KILLED A FAMILY PET. PROTECTION ORDERS ARE OFTENTIMES FILLED OUT BY SURVIVORS WITH NO LEGAL HELP. SO IF PETS AREN’T LISTED AS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR PROTECTION ORDER, THEY MIGHT NOT THINK THAT THEY’RE ELIGIBLE, BUT THEY ARE MORE SPECIFIC FOR MAN’S BEST FRIEND. AND OUR OTHER CUDDLY COMPANIONS. AL

Pets and protection orders: Experts say animals keep people in abusive relationships

Advocates hope to enact pet protections in Nebraska through the Legislature this year.

Pets can command our lives. They can even be a power dynamic in our relationships, according to a gender-based violence expert with the Women's Fund of Omaha.Freedom from Violence program manager Nick Zadina and other advocates have tried to add pets to domestic abuse protection orders through legislation in Nebraska. It would allow police to arrest abusers who threaten animals they share with a domestic partner."Protection orders are oftentimes filled out by survivors with no legal help," Zadina said. "So if pets aren't listed as one of the things you can put on your protection order, they might not think that they're eligible, but they are."If state lawmakers sign Legislative Bill 11 into law, it would explicitly put pets as an option on protection orders. They're only considered possessions in Nebraska. Lawmakers have struggled to define what a pet is and at one time tried to separate house animals from livestock.State Senator Carol Blood of Bellevue introduced LB11 this session."I think in the last few decades, people are getting a keener understanding of the cycle of violence and what prevents victims and survivors from leaving that situation," Blood said.Seventy-one percent of pet-owning women entering domestic violence shelters say their abuser threatened, harmed, or killed a family pet, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.The Nebraska Humane Society offers help through a program called Project Pet Safe. It temporarily houses animals of domestic violence victims who seek help at shelters."It's such an emotional bond," spokesperson Pam Weise said. "The pets have been with them through everything leading up to them finally deciding to leave. So the pet is a companion, but it's much more than a companion. It offers unconditional support to them."LB11 has been referred to the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. It's waiting for a bill hearing, which may or may not be scheduled for debate.

OMAHA, Neb. —

Pets can command our lives. They can even be a power dynamic in our relationships, according to a gender-based violence expert with the Women's Fund of Omaha.

Freedom from Violence program manager Nick Zadina and other advocates have tried to add pets to domestic abuse protection orders through legislation in Nebraska. It would allow police to arrest abusers who threaten animals they share with a domestic partner.

"Protection orders are oftentimes filled out by survivors with no legal help," Zadina said. "So if pets aren't listed as one of the things you can put on your protection order, they might not think that they're eligible, but they are."

If state lawmakers sign Legislative Bill 11 into law, it would explicitly put pets as an option on protection orders. They're only considered possessions in Nebraska.

Lawmakers have struggled to define what a pet is and at one time tried to separate house animals from livestock.

State Senator Carol Blood of Bellevue introduced LB11 this session.

"I think in the last few decades, people are getting a keener understanding of the cycle of violence and what prevents victims and survivors from leaving that situation," Blood said.

Seventy-one percent of pet-owning women entering domestic violence shelters say their abuser threatened, harmed, or killed a family pet, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

The Nebraska Humane Society offers help through a program called Project Pet Safe. It temporarily houses animals of domestic violence victims who seek help at shelters.

"It's such an emotional bond," spokesperson Pam Weise said. "The pets have been with them through everything leading up to them finally deciding to leave. So the pet is a companion, but it's much more than a companion. It offers unconditional support to them."

LB11 has been referred to the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. It's waiting for a bill hearing, which may or may not be scheduled for debate.

Pets and protection orders: Experts say animals keep people in abusive relationships

Advocates hope to enact pet protections in Nebraska through the Legislature this year.

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