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About Abuse

Emotional and Psychological Abuse

Updated: July 14, 2025

Abuse of pets

Many people think of their pets as part of the family. If you have a pet, an abuser may try to hurt or control you by threatening to harm or actually harming your pet. The abuser might:

  • hurt your pet to punish you or get back at you for something you or your child did;
  • hurt your pet as a way to scare or control you;
  • threaten to harm your pet if you leave or if you don’t do what the abuser wants; or
  • force you or your children to hurt or kill your pet, or to watch the abuser do it.1

If you file for a restraining order, you may be able to include your pet in it. Many states also let you ask the judge to give you possession of a shared pet. To learn how this works in your state, go to our Restraining Orders page and select your state from the drop-down menu.

1 This information was adapted from NCADV’s Pets and Domestic Violence flyer

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