Pet Protection Resources
and Reading Room

Governance/Legislation/Ordinances

• Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (Federal), signed by President Trump on 11/25/2019
• Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act included in 2018 Farm Bill (Federal). The passage of the PAWS act 12/20/2018 extended federal domestic violence protections to include pets and authorized $3 million/year in grants through 2023 to help domestic violence shelters accommodate pets.
• The Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act (House Resolution 2808) (Federal), introduced in the summer of 2019 by Representatives Kuster (D-NH) and Katko (R-NY), would require data collected by the federal government from state child protection agencies to include information on animal abuse.  See OAA’s Action Alert to advocate for this bipartisan bill to your Congressional representatives.
• Ohio House Bill 33 would require cross-reporting of animal abuse by social service professionals and veterinarians (State). This bill was introduced by Representative Lanese and cosponsored by Representative Carruthers and was passed out of the House Criminal Justice Committee 11/21/2019. See OAA’s Action Alert to advocate for this important bill to your state representative.

Public Meetings/Hearings

Resources (to find safe havens for pets when escaping family violence)

• Animal Welfare Institute’s Safe Havens are confidential places to shelter pets of domestic violence victims; lists sources across the country by zip code 
• Local pet shelters: Many Ohio humane shelters have pet protective programs to shelter animals when victims enter domestic violence shelters that do not have pet protective programs 
• “Ohio Resource List for Social Workers on the Link between Animal and Human Violence,” produced by Dr. Aviva Vincent and Vicki Deisner for the 11/2019 annual NASW-OH Conference
• Purina’s Purple Leash Program website has a nationwide database of domestic violence shelters that accept pets
• NEW!! Report animal cruelty: see OAA’s Ohio Animal Cruelty Reporting List–a state-wide list of organizations, by county
• Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T), 05/2019; lists sources across the country by state 
• The Cocoon in Wood County shelters victims of domestic violence and their pets

News Media

• NEW!! Society Register article, 2019 Vol 3 No. 3, “The Link between Interpersonal Violence and Animal Abuse,” co-authored by Vicki Deisner
• The Columbus Dispatch article, 10/26/2019, “Abuser Takes Advantage of Victim’s Bond with Pet,” Vicki Deisner
• Columbus OH CBS Channel 10 new story, 09/12/2019, about Ohio House Bill 33 requiring cross reporting of animal and child abuse
• The Columbus Dispatch article, 08/09/2019, “Domestic Violence Victims Can Now Bring Pets to Choices Shelter,” Alissa Widman Neese
• USAToday, 02/24/2015, “Pet Shelter Removes a Barrier to Leaving Domestic Violence,” Stephanie Dickrell and Kirsti Marohn

Literature and Continuing Education

• Animal Welfare Institute’s Representing Domestic Violence Survivors with Pets in Ohio is a manual for domestic violence attorneys and advocates assisting survivors in obtaining protection orders for their pets
• Case Western Reserve University: Dr. Aviva Vincent teaches human-animal bond courses
• National Link Coalition’s list, by Ohio county, identifying where to report suspected or actual abuse of animals and people
• National Link Coalition’s LINK-Letter, a free monthly publication that addresses current legislation, programs, and coverage of family violence incidents nationwide. The Coalition works in partnership to stop violence against animals and people.
• NEW!! National Sheriffs’ Association Resolution 2019-03 and National Coalition on Violence Against Animals supporting letter with data linking domestic violence and animal abuse
• Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s 07/2010 report, In Harm’s Way, established a strong link between the safety of abuse victims and pets in Ohio. Includes results of a survey of Ohio domestic violence programs which assessed the needs and resources available to victims concerned about the safety and well-being of pets.
• Sheltering Animals & Family Together (SAF-T) Program created a guide to developing co-sheltering options for domestic violence victims and family pets
• University of Toledo: Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach teaches human-animal bond courses

Websites

• Affiliations and Partnerships page, with links to many other related organizations
• Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)
• Human-Animal Interaction Workgroup
• Human-Animal Bond working group of NASW-OH, email here for information and to participate
• National Link Coalition has information and a toolkit for starting a coalition in your community
• Ohio Animal Welfare Federation (OAWF)
• Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN)
• Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T) Program

Foundations and Grants

• Banfield’s Safety Together Initiative funds shelters developing pet protective programs
• Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, Cleveland OH, is a private foundation focused on preventing cruelty to animals and promoting the humane treatment of animals, particularly companion animals such as dogs and cats
• RedRover funds safe housing grants to help domestic violence shelters aid families in escaping with their animals

Click to see more resources!