"In the American family, the mother comes first, then the kids, then the dog, then the cat, and then the father."--Tomas, my Cuban immigrant father-in-law

Recently California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, and numerous California and Connecticut legislators took strong measures to protect goldfish, bunny rabbits, cats, dogs, and hamsters like little Cinnamon (pictured) from abusive relationships.

Earlier this year Rell signed a bill to protect pet victims of domestic violence and explained with a straight face, "Pets are too often the silent victims of domestic violence. They cannot fight back, and they are presently afforded no protection under our current legal system.”

Now Dr. Ned Holstein, Executive Director of Fathers & Families, informs us that Massachusetts has picked up this crucial public health issue with HB 1546. Holstein writes:

"Under HB 1546, when mom gets the restraining order against dad, just to make it smart a little more, she can also take possession of the pets — his beloved dog Daisy, for instance." Holstein says this is applicable even if Daisy was his long before he even met her.

Earlier this year Mike McCormick, Executive Director of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, and I co-authored a column on the bill Schwarzenegger signed-- see CA Legislators Vote to Protect Pets from Domestic Violence but Deny Services to Male DV Victims (Long Beach Press-Telegram, 4/21/07).

[Note: If you or someone you love is being abused, the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women provides crisis intervention and support services to victims of domestic violence and their families.] 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 26th, 2007 at 1:20 pm and is filed under Domestic Violence/DV System, Restraining Orders/Protection Orders, Bills/Initiatives, Elections, Politics, Court Cases, Fathers & Families Advocacy Group. You can trackback from your own site.