A new law allows victims of domestic violence to obtain protection for household pets. On January 17, 2025, Act 146 of 2024 took effect, allowing plaintiffs seeking Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders to request protection for their furry (or feathery, or scaly) friends.
PFA orders may now prohibit the defendant from abusing, harassing, stalking, or threatening a "companion animal,” defined broadly to include pets belonging to not only the plaintiff, but also the defendant, or a minor child of either one. Previously, the protections afforded by a PFA order could be extended to minor children in the household, but pets were left vulnerable. The resulting harm was not only to the animals. Abusers often control and terrorize their victims by threatening to take away, harm, or even kill the family pet if the victim ever speaks up, ends the relationship, or forces them to leave. By protecting companion critters, the new law also provides increased protection to the plaintiff and any minor children by removing a powerful weapon from the abuser’s arsenal.
A PFA order or consent agreement may grant temporary ownership of the pet to the plaintiff, and order that the defendant may not possess or transfer the animal, or contact or "attempt to contact" the animal. The defendant may also be prohibited from contacting any person who is sheltering the pet. The consequences for violating these new provisions are the same as for any other PFA violations: the defendant may be arrested and charged with Indirect Criminal Contempt.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive situation, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) , or 911 if you are in immediate danger or a life threatening situation.
