澳大利亚首都领地（ACT）政党宣布修改《犯罪法》，将在暴力关系中利用宠物对受害者进行强制或控制的行为定为违法[1]。根据这项政策，保护令将禁止施暴者隐瞒、出售、赠送或处置受保护人的动物，警察也被授权在动物处于风险时予以移除[1]。同时，警察在处理家暴报告时需要记录宠物信息[1]。
然而，仅有法律改革还不足以解决问题。研究表明，宠物虐待在家庭暴力中被广泛用作控制手段。2015年美国研究显示，7至12岁儿童报告称，针对宠物的暴力最常被用作对其母亲的权力和控制工具[1]。2018年新西兰《妇女难民营》研究覆盖929名在暴力关系中经历过宠物虐待的人，发现宠物被用于控制的最常见方式包括威胁处置、杀害或伤害它们[1]。加拿大最近的审查建议，立法改革应当伴随更多资源支持家暴组织开发相关宠物项目[1]。这表明，要真正保护处于暴力关系中的宠物及其主人，需要在法律制度之外配备充足的资源和服务体系。
Australia's Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has announced a policy to amend its Crimes Act, making it illegal to use pets to coerce or control victims in violent relationships.[1] The proposed reform will strengthen protection orders to prevent perpetrators from concealing, selling, gifting, or disposing of a protected person's animals.[1] Police will also be required to document pet information in domestic violence reports and will have authority to remove animals when they face immediate risk.[1]
However, legal changes alone will not be sufficient to address the complexity of animal-related domestic violence. Research from 2015 found that children aged 7 to 12 reported that violence against pets was most commonly employed as a means of exerting power and control over their mothers.[1] A 2018 study from New Zealand's Women's Refuge found that among 929 individuals who experienced pet abuse within violent relationships, threatening to dispose of, kill, or harm pets represented the most frequent method of control.[1] Canadian authorities have similarly recommended that legislative reform must be accompanied by additional resources to enable domestic violence organizations to develop animal support programs.[1]
