Pet Protection in Domestic Violence Act

Pennsylvania Act 146 of 2024 amends the state's Protection from Abuse (PFA) Act to explicitly include companion animals in protective orders issued to domestic violence survivors. Signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro in November 2024, the law gives judges the authority to order an abuser to refrain from possessing, contacting, or harming a victim's pet as part of a court-issued protection order.

Before this law, Pennsylvania's PFA Act gave judges broad authority to protect victims but contained no explicit provision covering pets. Abusers routinely exploited this gap, threatening or harming animals to control, intimidate, or prevent survivors from leaving. With Act 146, Pennsylvania joins 38 other states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico in closing that loophole.

The legislation was a nearly four-year undertaking led by state Rep. Christina Sappey (D-Chester) and state Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny/Washington), and earned the support of more than 70 law enforcement agencies, domestic violence organizations, and animal welfare advocates across the Commonwealth.

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• Amends Pennsylvania's Protection from Abuse Act to explicitly cover companion animals
• Gives judges authority to order a defendant to refrain from possessing, contacting, or harming a petitioner's pet
• Allows courts to award temporary custody of a companion animal to the domestic violence survivor as part of a PFA order
• Prohibits an abuser from using a pet as a tool of coercion, control, or retaliation against a victim
• Applies to all companion animals belonging to or living with the petitioner

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Research has consistently documented the link between domestic violence and animal abuse. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 71% of domestic violence victims reported that their abuser also targeted their pets. Abusers use threats against animals as a form of coercive control, and many survivors delay or avoid leaving abusive situations out of fear for what will happen to their pets if they go.

Animal abuse is also a documented predictor of escalating violence against people. Studies show that households where animals are abused are significantly more likely to also experience child abuse and intimate partner violence. By protecting pets, Act 146 removes a key barrier to escape and disrupts a pattern of abuse that frequently extends beyond animals to human victims.

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For many survivors, a companion animal is a primary source of emotional support and unconditional comfort during one of the most traumatic periods of their lives. The fear of leaving a pet behind with an abuser is not irrational. It is a calculated weapon that abusers use to maintain control.

Act 146 recognizes that protecting a survivor means protecting everyone they love, including their animals. By explicitly including pets in PFA orders, Pennsylvania's courts now have a clear legal tool to remove that leverage from abusers and help more survivors reach safety with their families intact.

The bill passed the Pennsylvania Senate by a vote of 47 to 1, reflecting broad bipartisan recognition of the issue. It took effect upon signing by Governor Shapiro in November 2024.