Including Pets in Domestic Violence Protection Orders in Massachusetts

Guidance for Advocates and Attorneys for Domestic Violence Survivors1

This guide is intended to serve as a resource2 to help advocates and attorneys get pets of domestic violence (DV) survivors included in domestic violence protection orders in Massachusetts.3 We hope that this information will serve to simplify the process and help survivors take more control of their lives and escape abuse along with their pets.

Advocates and attorneys often play a crucial role in helping DV survivors understand and exercise their rights to include pets in such orders. There are typically four key steps in this process:

  1. As early as possible, identify any pets, service animals, therapy animals, or any other animals who may live in the home.
  2. Identify and review the state’s protection order laws. (See below.)
  3. Gather evidence of any animal abuse or threats of animal abuse to present at the hearing. (See “Gathering Evidence” below.)
  4. Help the DV survivor understand what relief is available to protect the animal, and use available opportunities to include the desired relief in any temporary or extended order.

Ask About Pets

The first step is to ask if any pets or other animals are present in the home. It is common for individuals experiencing domestic violence not to volunteer that they have a pet. They may assume there are no resources or protections for their pets and therefore believe it is pointless to raise the issue. In addition, under the stress of the circumstances they may forget to mention pet concerns. The following are examples of questions to flesh this out:

  • Does an animal—a pet, service animal, or support animal—live in your home?
  • Has your abuser ever harmed your pet or threatened to harm this animal?
  • How did the animal abuse or threat affect you?
  • Where is your pet right now?
  • Is your pet safe?
  • Do you want to ask that the court grant you custody of your pet?
  • Do you want to ask that the court order your abuser to stay away from your pet?
  • Do you have anything that might help us prove that the abuser has threatened or hurt the animal, e.g., veterinary bills or records, photographs, or eyewitnesses?

It is important to recognize the overall significance of asking about pets. Being able to present information about how the abuser has treated animals can be a valuable tool to illustrate the extent of the abuser’s controlling and violent behavior. Knowing whether a pet is involved may help not only the pet but also other abused parties. Many individuals experiencing domestic violence may decide not to leave due to fear of leaving a pet behind, and addressing such concerns increases the likelihood that they will escape an abusive situation.

Discuss Resources for Pets

It is often helpful to reassure the DV survivor that you will work with them to develop a safety plan for them, their family, and their pet(s). Does the individual intend to stay with friends or family members, but cannot take their pet? Are they moving into temporary housing or a domestic violence shelter that does not accept pets? Explain that there are safe havens for pets of DV survivors in many communities. Safe havens are sheltering services available in an area that help individuals who are experiencing domestic violence place their companion animals out of harm's way so that they may seek safety for themselves.

Safe havens operate differently from community to community. Some rely on networks of foster care homes or are allowed to use the additional kennel space of a local humane society or veterinarian. In some cases, domestic violence shelters house victims and pets together; others have pet kennels on site. Depending on the local arrangement, family members may be able to visit pets while they are in safekeeping. Confidentiality of the pet’s location is highly guarded in order to protect pets and family members.

Refer the DV survivor to the Animal Welfare Institute’s Safe Havens for Pets directory. This is a directory, searchable by zip code, of sheltering services for pets of DV survivors.4 Recommend that the DV survivor also do the following:

  • Keep on hand the phone number of the nearest 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic.
  • Establish ownership of the pet by creating a paper trail (e.g., obtain a license, have veterinarian records put in the petitioner’s name).
  • Keep emergency provisions for the pet. Pack a bag for the pet that includes these items:
    • food
    • medicine
    • documents of ownership (receipts from adoption or purchase of pet, license to establish ownership, receipts for animal purchases)
    • health documents (veterinary or vaccination records)
    • leash
    • ID and rabies tag, if a dog or cat (these will also help establish ownership)
    • carrier
    • toys
    • bedding

Finally, in some circumstances where the animal and the DV survivor are separated, such as one involving a visit to the emergency room, the advocate or attorney may need to take steps to ensure that the animal is safe. Following a domestic violence call, the animal may be taken into custody by animal control and need to be claimed and transferred to safety later.

Massachusetts Domestic Violence Protection Order Laws

Obtaining a protective order

In Massachusetts, a person experiencing domestic violence (defined under the statute as “abuse” by a “family or household member”) may obtain an “abuse prevention order,” often referred to as a “209A order.” The laws pertaining to such orders are set forth in the Abuse Prevention Act (M.G.L. ch.209A). Detailed information on the law and the process for obtaining an abuse prevention order can be found at WomensLaw.org. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts government website, Mass.gov, also provides information on the law and process, as well as links to the necessary forms and additional resources for domestic violence survivors.

The first step in obtaining an abuse prevention order is for the person seeking the order (the “plaintiff”) to file a complaint with the court against their abuser (the “defendant”). Four forms must be submitted to the court: 

  • Complaint for Protection from Abuse
  • Affidavit
  • Plaintiff Confidential Information Form
  • Defendant Information Form

A “Chapter 209A Complaint Packet” containing these forms and instructions in various languages can be obtained at a local district courthouse or downloaded as a PDF file from the government website’s Restraining order/abuse prevention order court forms page. A direct link to the English-language version of the packet is provided below:

Once the forms are submitted, a judge will review the documents and, if warranted, issue a temporary (“ex parte”) abuse prevention order and/or schedule a hearing within 10 days to determine whether a longer-term abuse prevention order will be issued.

Including pets on a protective order

Describing past pet abuse

In Massachusetts, abusing a pet (or attempting or threatening to do so) for the purpose of exerting “coercive control” over a family or household member may be considered an act of domestic abuse against that person.5 As such, describing past pet abuse not only shows that the animal needs protection, it also helps establish that the plaintiff is being subjected to domestic abuse and needs protection under an abuse prevention order.

Actual, attempted, and/or threatened pet abuse by the defendant should be indicated on the forms in the following manner:

1. In the Complaint for Protection from Abuse form (pages 3-4 of the Chapter 209A Complaint Packet), under the heading “NATURE OF ABUSE”:

  • In the blank space provided, indicate the approximate date(s) when the defendant committed acts of abuse;
  • Check the box next to “Engaged in coercive control by:”; and
  • Check the box next to either or both of the following:
    • “Abusing or attempting to abuse an animal connected to me”
    • “A pattern of behavior as described in G.L. c. 209A, 1(d)(a)” (if the defendant threatened to harm the animal).6

2. In the Affidavit/Supplemental Affidavit (pages 5 and 6 of the Chapter 209A Complaint Packet):

  • The plaintiff is asked to provide additional details regarding the most recent incidents of domestic abuse in the Affidavit and (if more space is needed) the Supplemental Affidavit. Incidents of actual, attempted, or threatened pet abuse committed as a means to control the plaintiff should be described here. (Note that the instructions at the top of the affidavit form state that plaintiffs who are “alleging coercive control” by the defendant “should describe at least three separate acts of coercively controlling behavior.”)

Requesting possession and protection of pets

As part of an abuse prevention order, a Massachusetts court may grant plaintiff possession of the animal(s) and direct the defendant not to harm the animal(s).7 The plaintiff can ask the court to do this via the Complaint for Protection from Abuse form:

  • In the “REQUEST FOR RELIEF” section on the first page of the form (page 3 of the Chapter 209A Complaint Packet), under the words “I am asking the Court (select all that apply):” the plaintiff should check the boxes next to the following:
    • “To order that the Defendant refrain from abusing, threatening, taking, interfering with, transferring, encumbering, concealing, harming or otherwise disposing of the following animal(s):” (and describe the animal(s) in the blank space provided).
    • To order that I be given possession, care, and control of the following animal(s):” (and describe the animal(s) in the blank space provided).

Note: In addition to the above, the plaintiff may wish to download and complete one other short form, the Petition and Order Issued Pursuant to GL c. 209A, s.11 Relative to Domesticated Animal(s), on which these requests would be repeated.8

Gathering Evidence for the Hearing

Fact-Gathering Questions

Answers to the questions listed in the above section titled “Ask About Pets” will not only aid in completing the petition, but will also help the evidence-gathering process for the hearing and offer the court a more comprehensive understanding of the circumstances. In preparation for the hearing, it may be particularly helpful to discuss the following with the DV survivor.

If the abuser has threatened to harm either the DV survivor’s animal or the abuser’s own animal, try to determine what the abuser specifically said. The statement should generally be admissible under evidence rules as an admission by a party opponent. Ask where and when the statement occurred, and if someone else may have heard the threat (e.g., a neighbor, another occupant of the home, or someone else present). Have the survivor describe the circumstances, including the topic of conversation and body language.

If the abuser physically hurt the pet, gather as many details as possible. In particular, find out if the animal needed veterinary care. If so, collect any evidence of the visit and consider if a subpoena to the animal hospital is appropriate. Either way, find out if any photos were taken and, if the abuse was recent, see if there is a way to obtain photographic evidence.

In addition to the fine details, be sure to capture the bigger picture of abuse. Have the survivor describe the series of events that led up to the incident of abuse as well as any past instances of conflict. What does the survivor believe motivated the abuse? How did they react to the abuse? How did the abuser act afterward? Did the abuse serve as an effective controlling behavior? For example, did the abuse prevent the survivor from leaving the home or going somewhere?

Remember, it is extremely important that the court understands how the animal abuse fits into abusive behavior generally. Being able to demonstrate with evidence that the abuser used the pet as a means to control the survivor can be crucial to convincing the court of the role animal abuse plays in domestic violence.

Evidentiary Issues

There are several common pieces of evidence that you may want to introduce:

  • Statements made by the abuser
  • Veterinary records
  • Photographs of injuries
  • Evidence of prior animal abuse
  • Prior convictions for animal abuse
  • Testimony of a police officer
  • Testimony of a veterinarian
  • Testimony of anyone who witnessed the abuse or immediate aftermath

Federal Domestic Violence Law: Paws Act

Although the process of obtaining a protection order is a civil matter, not a criminal one, violation of a protection order once it is in place is typically a crime under state law, punishable by fines and/or imprisonment. In some circumstances, it will also be a crime under federal law. In 2018, the provisions of the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act were signed into law as part of the federal farm bill. The PAWS Act added language to Title 18, Chapter 110A of the US Code9—which pertains to interstate domestic violence and interstate stalking—that heightens protection for animals in situations involving protection order violations and stalking.

Interstate violation of a protection order occurs when someone crosses state lines (or by force, coercion, duress, or fraud causes another person to cross state lines) with the intent to engage in conduct that would violate a protection order’s prohibition “against violence, threats, or harassment against, contact or communication with, or physical proximity to, another person or the pet, service animal, emotional support animal,10 or horse of that person.”11

Interstate stalking occurs when someone engages in conduct intending to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another person (or place that person under surveillance for such purposes), so that it either

  1. causes the person to have reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury to themselves; their immediate family members, their spouse or intimate partner; or their pet, service animal, emotional support animal, or horse, or
  2. “causes, attempts to cause, or would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress” to the person, their immediate family members, or their spouse or intimate partner,

AND such behavior occurs when the stalker is either

  1. traveling in interstate or foreign commerce,12 or
  2. using “mail, any interactive computer service or electronic communication service or electronic communication system of interstate commerce, or any other facility of interstate or foreign commerce.”13

It is important to emphasize that the latter provision means that stalking conducted via mail or computers—whether or not physical travel is involved—constitutes interstate stalking because use of the US mail and the electronic devices themselves involves activities that venture beyond state lines.

Federal authorities, not local and state law enforcement officers, are tasked with prosecuting violations of federal law. However, the Department of Justice recommends reporting such crimes, especially in an emergency, to the local authorities. The local district attorney will refer appropriate cases to a US attorney’s office. DV survivors and advocates also may wish to contact a local US attorney’s office or the Federal Bureau of Investigation directly. Each US attorney’s office has an Office of Violence Against Women contact person to take referrals under the interstate stalking law. Click on the links below for office locations:

US attorney offices
FBI field offices

Forms and Resources

Massachusetts Official Forms and Government-Sponsored Resources

Massachusetts Organizations

National Organizations

Further Reading

1. AWI would like to thank Shelby White, Colorado Law, for their assistance in compiling this information.

2. Nothing in this material should be considered legal advice. This guide is designed to facilitate access to available information and resources, and to identify issues and steps to consider in the course of seeking protection for pets of domestic violence survivors. While we try to keep the information up-to-date, we cannot assure that it remains accurate at the time a reader accesses it; please consult an official source for the most current language of any statute or other legal requirements. While we have provided links to third party websites that contain additional information, we cannot guarantee the availability or quality of services at those sites.

3. This guide does not attempt to describe procedures focused on protecting survivors themselves, their children or other human family members. There are numerous resources available to address issues specific to human survivors, including but not limited to Women’s Law and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

4. The directory reflects an effort to identify services that offer shelter for the pets of domestic violence victims. We cannot guarantee the availability or quality of services at any particular location.

5. Under the Abuse Prevention Act, domestic abuse includes acts intended to exert “coercive control” over a family or household member. Coercive control is further defined to include committing, attempting to commit, or threatening to commit abuse to “an animal connected to the family or household member” in a manner “intended to threaten, intimidate, harass, isolate, control, coerce or compel compliance” and which causes that person “to reasonably fear physical harm or have a reduced sense of physical safety or autonomy” (M.G.L. ch.209A §1).

6. G.L. c. 209A, 1(d)(a) is the section of the statute that describes patterns of behavior that qualify as coercive control, including “threatening to commit cruelty or abuse to an animal connected to the family or household member” (M.G.L. ch.209A §1(d)(a)(vi)).

7. Under the Abuse Prevention Act, as part of an abuse prevention order, the court may (1) award plaintiff “the possession, care and control of any domesticated animal owned, possessed, leased, kept or held by either party or a minor child residing in the household,” and (2) order the defendant to “refrain from abusing, threatening, taking, interfering with, transferring, encumbering, concealing, harming or otherwise disposing of such animal” (M.G.L. ch.209A §11).

8. It is unclear whether this additional petition form is still necessary. In September 2024, the Complaint for Protection from Abuse was revised to include the language quoted in this guide, whereby plaintiffs can expressly request possession and protection of pets on the complaint form itself. Prior to this, plaintiffs seeking to protect pets within an abuse prevention order would do so via this petition form (which dates from 2012, the year Massachusetts first authorized protection of pets in abuse prevention orders), to be filed with the other required forms. The ability to now make these requests directly on the complaint form would seemingly render the older petition form redundant. At this time, however, the Mass.gov website still indicates that the plaintiff should submit the petition form along with the other required forms.

10. “pets,” “service animals,” and “emotional support animals” as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2266 (11–13)

11. 18 U.S.C. § 2262(a) (emphasis added)

12. “or is present within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or enters or leaves Indian country” 18 U.S.C. § 2261A