Bill to Help Domestic Abuse Victims Save Their Pets Gets Closer to Governor's Desk
By Raquel Lamal. CREATED Sep 29, 2015
Manitowoc, Wis – October is domestic violence awareness month.
The latest numbers in the report from "End Domestic Violence Abuse Wisconsin" show 43 people have died as a result of domestic violence in 2014.
The report also shows 91 percent of perpetrators were men. The average victim is 40 years old and guns were used 59 percent of the time in domestic violence incidents.
Another recent study shows about half of domestic violence victims choose not to leave their abuser because they don't want to leave behind a family pet.
At the Manitowoc County Domestic Violence Center, executive director Sara Meier says she sees this all the time.
"People you know they think of their pets as part of their family, so it would be like leaving a kid behind," said Meier.
The shelter just remodeled late this summer and they've now included a spot for pets to stay at the shelter while victims get help.
Republican representative Andre Jacque has also introduced a bill that would allow victims to put a restraining order or an injunction on their pets, keeping them from being hurt by the abuser.
"It's the sort of thing that I think we just really need to emphasize the importance of adding this protection to what we already have," said Representative Jacque.
According to Rep. Jacque the bill has already passed the Committee and State Senate, now it needs to be voted on by the Assembly before it can head to the Governor's desk.
Shelter directors say many domestic violence shelters work with local humane societies and will take a pet for someone while that person is getting out of an abusive relationship. To find out if your shelter can help, just give them a call.