HB177: HB177 Domestic relations; protection for household pets in both family violence and dating violence protective orders; provide

Under current Georgia law, protective orders in family violence and dating violence cases (O.C.G.A. §§ 19-13-4 and 19-13A-4) let judges divide personal property and control certain behavior by the respondent, but they do not specifically mention pets. This bill adds household pets to that authority. Judges could award care, custody, and control of a household pet owned or kept by either party or by a minor child in the household. The bill defines 'household pet' as an animal kept for companionship, and excludes livestock, laboratory animals, working animals, sport animals, and animals kept for commercial purposes or consumption. Judges could also order the respondent not to harass or harm the pet, not to take, transfer, encumber, or conceal it, and not to engage in conduct that would violate Georgia's animal cruelty law (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-4). The changes apply to both family violence and dating violence protective order statutes.

• Adds household pets to the personal property that judges can award possession of in family violence protective orders (O.C.G.A. § 19-13-4).
• Makes the same change to dating violence protective orders (O.C.G.A. § 19-13A-4), letting judges assign care, custody, and control of a pet.
• Defines 'household pet' as an animal kept for companionship, excluding livestock, lab animals, working animals, sport animals, and animals kept for commercial use or consumption.
• Allows judges to order a respondent not to harass, harm, take, transfer, encumber, or conceal a household pet.
• Ties violations involving pets to Georgia's animal cruelty statute (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-4), letting a court treat such conduct as a violation of the protective order.

People seeking or subject to family violence or dating violence protective orders in Georgia, including spouses, former spouses, dating partners, and minor children living in the household, as well as any pets they own or keep together.

Abusers sometimes threaten or harm pets to control or intimidate victims, and victims may delay leaving unsafe situations out of fear for a pet's safety. This bill lets judges directly address pet custody and safety within the same protective order, rather than leaving pets out of the court's authority.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 19-13-4(a)(8) to let family violence protective orders cover possession and control of a household pet.
• Section 1 defines 'household pet' and excludes livestock, laboratory animals, working animals, sport animals, and animals kept for commercial purposes or consumption.
• Section 1 allows courts to order a respondent to refrain from harassing, harming, taking, transferring, encumbering, or concealing a household pet, or committing acts that would violate the animal cruelty law (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-4).
• Section 2 makes the identical changes to dating violence protective orders under O.C.G.A. § 19-13A-4(b)(2).
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-13Act 189
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-08House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
8. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)

• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)Primary sponsor
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)
• Kasey Carpenter (R, HD-004)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Kimberly New (R, HD-040)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 19, 2025

   164 yea, 3 nay (7 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #46

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #431

• domestic violence protective orders
• pet custody
• family law
• dating violence