SEMO grad's bill to protect pets gets hearing in Missouri Senate

Newly introduced legislation to add household pets to orders of protection got a hearing before a Missouri Senate committee earlier this week.

Sen. Elaine Gannon (R-3/De Soto), a 1975 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, filed Senate Bill 71 in order to shield pets from those threatening or committing abuse against them.

State Sen. Elaine Gannon

"(Pets) understand what you're saying and doing, they have a pattern for what's going to happen at certain times of the day (and) they're almost like your children," Gannon told the Senate's Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee.

Gannon, who told the panel she owns an English sheepdog, was supported at the hearing Monday in Jefferson City by representatives of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Stray Dog Policy, a not-for-profit animal advocacy organization based in Leawood, Kansas.

The specific language of S.B. 71 reads: "Under this act, adult protection and child protection orders, full or ex parte, may be granted to restrain or enjoin an individual from committing or threatening to commit abuse against a pet. A protection order may include an order of custody of the pet where appropriate, as well as any funds needed to cover medical costs resulting from abuse of the pet."

Gannon's bill is identical to legislation introduced in the 2020 session of the General Assembly by two former lawmakers: Sen. Scott Sifton of St. Louis County and Rep. Sheila Solon of St. Joseph. Both vacated their seats in early January.

The Animal Welfare Institute website, www.awionline.org, reports roughly two-thirds of all U.S. households have at least one pet. While most treat companion animals as beloved members of the family, AWI said 71% of pet-owning domestic violence victims reported their abusers had threatened, injured or killed their pets. Additionally, AWI said abuse victims sometimes refuse to abandon violent relationships for fear of what might happen to their pets if they leave.

Missouri is among 15 states without a law currently on the books to protect companion animals in domestic violence protection orders.

The first U.S. state to protect pets in this fashion via statute was Maine, which passed legislation in 2006.

AWI has advice for those who live in states such as Missouri that are without specific laws protecting pets, suggesting a "work-around."

Specifically, when domestic victims in states without such statutes file a complaint seeking a protection order, they should include incidents of pet abuse or threatened abuse in their filing and ask the court to include pets in the property or "other relief" section of the order to ensure coverage of their domestic animals.

Gannon's bill specifically excludes farm or commercial animals.