PAWS Act: Expanding Protections for the Pets of Domestic Violence Victims (H.R. 909)

What is H.R. 909?

(Updated October 5, 2018)

This bill — the Pet and Women Safety Act of 2017 (or PAWS Act) — would seek to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence from trauma caused by violence against their pets. Existing federal domestic violence protections would be expanded to include threats or acts of violence against a victim’s pet, and grant funding would go to programs that offer shelter and housing assistance for victims with pets.

The full amount of the victim’s losses incurred providing veterinary and physical care for their pet would be required to be included in restitution for domestic violence and stalking offenses.

Argument in favor

Victims of domestic violence shouldn’t have to worry about threats or acts of violence against their pets, and this bill would provide protections and resources for victims and their pets.

Argument opposed

There’s no guarantee that expanded protections for the pets of domestic violence victims would ultimately protect more animals or their owners.

Impact

Victims of domestic violence and their pets; programs that provide shelter and housing to victims and their pets; and federal agencies.

Cost of H.R. 909

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) introduced this bill to expand protections for victims of domestic violence to include threats or violence against their pets, and to provide grants to programs that provide housing and shelter for victims and their animals:

“Sadly, one in four women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives. Pets often become a member of the family, and the idea of leaving a beloved pet behind in a dangerous  situation is unthinkable. By ensuring that people experiencing domestic abuse don’t have to make the decision between finding safety for themselves or staying behind to protect their pet, we can empower survivors to seek help.”

Lead cosponsor Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) added:

“Re-introducing the PAWS Act with my colleague, Katherine, is an important first step toward helping victims of domestic violence. Too often, men and women in abusive relationships will not seek the help they need for fear of the harm that could befall their pet. We're working to make sure that every resource is available for those who need to flee an abusive relationship along with their companion animals.”

This legislation has the support of 240 bipartisan cosponsors in the House, including 184 Democrats and 56 Republicans.

Media:

• Sponsoring Katherine Clark (D-MA) Press Release
  
• The Hill (Op-Ed In Favor)
  
• Refinery29 (In Favor)
  
• American Veterinary medical Association (In Favor - Previous Version)