Every nine seconds, a woman is beaten or abused somewhere in America. And, as sickening as it is, the violence often doesn't stop there. According to
the Animal Welfare Institute:
"[W]hen there is violence in the home, it can be directed at the pets as well as the people who live there... Abusers are well aware of the bond between their victims and their companion animals, and they exploit that bond to control, manipulate, frighten, and punish their victims."
Now Congress has a chance to help survivors of domestic violence and their pets to escape abuse — even across state lines. Under the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, abusers could be sentenced to up to five years in prison for traveling across state lines to injure a pet. The PAWS Act would also help domestic violence survivors and their at-risk pets to find housing and shelter. And it would enable survivors to recover veterinary costs from abusers.
Take a stand against abuse and for compassion and support for the survivors of domestic violence. Urge your US Representative and Senators to support the PAWS Act! Dear Decision Maker,
As someone who believes in doing everything we can to help women escape abusive relationships, I strongly urge you to do everything in your power to pass The Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, H.R. 1258, S. 1559.
According to [link: https://awionline.org/content/pet-and-women-safety-paws-act] the Animal Welfare Institute:
"[W]hen there is violence in the home, it can be directed at the pets as well as the people who live there... Abusers are well aware of the bond between their victims and their companion animals, and they exploit that bond to control, manipulate, frighten, and punish their victims."
Now Congress has a chance to help survivors of domestic violence and their pets to escape abuse — even across state lines — by passing the PAWS Act.
Under this bipartisan legislation, abusers could be sentenced to up to five years in prison for travelling across state lines to injure a pet. The PAWS Act would also help domestic violence survivors and their at-risk pets to find housing and shelter. And it would enable survivors to recover veterinary costs from abusers.
[Your comments]
I hope you will be a champion for the survivors of domestic violence and for the animal companions who are so important to them. I hope you will do everything you can to ensure that the PAWS Act becomes law.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
