Pets could possibly be added to orders of safety beneath proposal in Missouri Senate | Regulation and order

Briscoe said the bill is supported by the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and Law Enforcement by lawyers.

Jennifer Carter Dochler, director of public policy for the Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said in an email that the coalition had submitted a written testimony in support of the law rather than testifying in person about the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Pets are part of our family … 35 states allow judges to include pets in protection warrants,” she said in a statement emailed. “Among those 35 are five of the eight states that border Missouri (Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma). It is time Missouri protected our pets in wards of protection. “

A representative from the animal rights group Stray Dog Policy also testified in support of the law during the hearing.

Courts issue protection orders to protect victims of abuse from being persecuted, threatened, attacked or disturbed. They often contain specific instructions on how to protect the victim, such as: B. prohibiting the alleged perpetrator from going to his home or contacting him.

Gannon’s suggestion is that the order could also be given to prohibit a person from abusing or threatening a pet. Judges could determine custody of a pet or order the payment of medical bills resulting from the abuse of a pet.