Pets in Protective Orders: What Georgia's HB 177 Means for Domestic Violence Victims

For many people leaving an abusive relationship, one of the most agonizing decisions is what happens to the family pet. Abusers often use pets as a tool of control — threatening to harm or kill an animal as a way to keep a victim from leaving, or following through on that threat as punishment.

Georgia’s House Bill 177, which took effect July 1, 2025, directly addresses this. For the first time, Georgia courts can include pets in family violence protective orders and dating violence protective orders. Here is what that means and how it works.

What HB 177 Actually Does

Under the new law, when a Georgia court issues a family violence protective order (commonly called a TPO — Temporary Protective Order) or a domestic violence protective order, it now has the authority to:

• Award temporary custody of a pet to the victim
• Order the abuser to stay away from the pet
• Prohibit the abuser from harming, threatening, or disposing of the pet

The law defines ‘pet’ broadly to include any animal kept primarily for companionship. This covers dogs, cats, and other household animals but excludes livestock or animals kept for commercial purposes.

Why This Matters

Research on domestic violence has long documented the link between animal abuse and intimate partner violence. Studies have found that a significant percentage of domestic violence victims report that concern for their pets’ safety delayed their decision to leave.

Abusers understand this. Threatening or harming a pet is a recognized tactic of coercive control; a way to maintain power over a victim even after they have physically separated. Before HB 177, Georgia law had no mechanism to legally protect an animal in the context of a protective order. Victims faced a difficult choice: leave and abandon their pet, or stay.

The new law eliminates that false choice.

How to Request Pet Protection in Your TPO

If you are seeking a Temporary Protective Order in Georgia, you can now specifically request that the order include protection for your pet. When completing your petition, you should:

• Identify your pet by name, species, and description
• Describe any specific threats or acts of harm the abuser has made or carried out against the animal
• Request that the court award you temporary possession of the pet and prohibit the respondent from having any contact with it

Including this information in your initial petition is important. Judges will consider the request as part of the overall protective order but you need to ask for it specifically.

What If the Abuser Has the Pet?

In some situations, the abuser may have taken the pet or the pet may currently be in their possession. HB 177 allows the court to order the pet returned to the victim as part of the protective order. If the abuser then refuses to comply or harms the animal, they can face consequences for violating the order including contempt of court.

As with all protective order violations in Georgia, a violation involving the animal should be reported to law enforcement immediately.

The Intersection With Divorce and Custody Cases

Georgia law does not treat pets as children; they are legally classified as personal property. This means that in a divorce, a pet is subject to equitable distribution, not a custody determination. However, the existence of a family violence protective order that awards you possession of the pet can be a meaningful factor in how the divorce court ultimately treats the issue.

If domestic violence is a factor in your divorce, it is important that your family law attorney understands both the protective order and the divorce proceedings and how they interact. The two cases run on separate tracks, but the facts in one often inform the other.

What to Do If You Are in This Situation

If you are experiencing domestic violence and are concerned about your pet’s safety, there are resources available. Some domestic violence shelters in Georgia have begun to partner with pet-friendly facilities or foster networks to house animals while victims seek safety. Our family law attorney s can also help you pursue emergency protective relief quickly.

The new law is a meaningful recognition that for many families, pets are family. HB 177 gives Georgia courts the tools to protect them.

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. If you have questions about how these laws apply to your situation, contact The Cherry Law Firm to schedule a consultation.