ACT announces policy to prevent abusers from 'weaponising' pets
ACT have announced a new policy aiming to stop abusers from "weaponising" pets to coerce and control victims of family violence.
By Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira of RNZ
The party want to bolster protections for pets and their owners by amending the Crimes Act to make it an offence to use animals as a means to control or coerce victims and beef up protections orders so offenders cannot withhold, sell or give away the animal.
ACT launched the policy at a Pet Refuge on Sunday. The party's Family and Sexual Violence spokesperson Karen Chhour said victims should never have to choose between their own safety and the safety of the pet they love.
"Family violence isn't just about physical abuse. Perpetrators use threats against beloved pets as another way to intimidate and trap their victims."
Chhour said abusive partners were almost 11 times more likely to intentionally harm an animal than partners in non-abusive relationships.
"More than half of victims said they delayed leaving an abusive relationship because they felt responsible for the safety of their pets," she said.
"Nobody should have to stay in a violent home because they're worried about what will happen to their pet."
ACT wants to:
- Amend the Crimes Act to make it an offence to use the abuse of a companion animal as a means of coercion or control in a family violence relationship, with a penalty up to seven years imprisonment
- Strengthen Protection Orders to make sure offenders cannot withhold, sell, give away, or otherwise dispose of a protected person's companion animal to help keep pets with the protected person
- Ensure companion animals are not left with a dangerous abuser when a Protection Order is made
- Require police to record pets on family harm reports
- Give police explicit statutory authority and clear operational guidance to remove a companion animal to a place of safety, like a Pet Refuge or the SPCA, where they believe the animal is at risk of harm or is being used as a tool of coercion.
"Right now, if police attend a family violence callout, a victim may escape while the family pet is left behind with the alleged abuser," Chhour said.
"That gives offenders another way to threaten and manipulate the people they're abusing."
She said victims often stay in dangerous situations longer because they're afraid of what will happen to their pet should they leave.
"ACT will put victims first, give police better tools, strengthen Protection Orders, and make it easier for victims to leave violence without leaving part of their family behind."
Pet Refuge – who provide temporary shelter to pets affected by family violence around the country – have welcomed the policy.
Its founder Julie Chapman said her charity sees the first-hand effect the abuse of animals plays in family violence.
"Abusers know the bond people have with their pets and deliberately use that bond to threaten, control and manipulate the people they are abusing. Anything that better recognises this reality and strengthens protections for both victim-survivors and their pets is a positive step forward," Chapman said.
"When people know their pet will be protected, it becomes one less reason to remain in a dangerous situation. These proposals recognise something we have known for many years – protecting pets helps protect people too."