New Maine Law Shields Animals in Domestic Violence Cases

Experts on domestic violence say many men who abuse wives or girlfriends often threaten or harm their animals to coerce or control the women. To address the problem, Maine's governor, John Baldacci, signed a bill that allows animals to be included in protection orders in domestic violence cases.

Maine isn't the only state addressing this issue. A new program in Columbus, Ohio, takes animals of victims of domestic violence and places them in a women's prison, where the inmates care for them. In Nashville, the city gives such pets a safe haven for up to 30 days. And in St. Louis, the Domestic Violence Pet Assistance Program finds foster homes for the animals.

Full story in the New York Times.