I want this bill in CO! As I've written about before, pets can be injured in abuse cases involving wife or children, just as humans can. And, often, the pet is hurt to inflict psychological pain on the other humans - as if the physical pain they feel isn't enough!
In Florida, State Senator Mike Fasano introduced an Animal Abuse Registry Bill to get animal abusers registered, which is about time, isn't it? Kudos to him. Well, he hasn't stopped there. He also just introduced another bill to hold people accountable when they abuse the family pet in a domestic violence case.
"The bill, called "Horatio’s Law" (Senate Bill 288), redefines the term "domestic violence" to include inflicting, or attempting to inflict, physical injury against an animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by one family or household member by another family or household member. It also includes placing a family or household member in fear of physical harm to a pet, which essentially widens the scope of the bill to include threats of violence against family pets.
"More often than not in domestic violence, animals are used and abused as an addition means to hurt someone else and emotionally blackmail them. Pawns in a violent relationship, the pets have to endure their role."
The bill is named for a dog that was protecting his elderly owner from her own son and was beaten so badly, the story says, that he now suffers from neurological damage and is blind in direct sunlight. Luckily, Horatio has been adopted by a loving, caring family and he doesn't let his previous experiences taint his devotion and loyalty! Isn't that just like a dog?
I discovered this information on a site called Dog Heirs. Nicely done, folks! It's also where I got this picture of the beautiful Horatio.
Is this covered by personal injury attorneys too?
Posted by: los angeles personal injury attorney | February 15, 2012 at 03:46 AM