On July 1, 2020, domestic violence survivors in Florida received expanded legal protections that include their pets. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bipartisan Senate Bill 1082 into law in June, 2020 allowing courts to include their pets in restraining orders against abusers.1 Perpetrators of coercive control may target pets as a means of inducing fear and submission in the victim, putting their lives at risk….
Florida Senate Bill 1082
Florida Senate Bill 1082, passed in May 2020 and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in June of the same year, amended the state’s domestic violence laws to include pets in restraining orders. This legislation empowers judges to order abusers to relinquish custody of pets to victims, ensuring their safety and well-being in situations of domestic violence.