I'm one of those people who get's extremely upset reading about animal abuse. I appreciate the warning, and will content myself with the summary. Thanks.

In the cases of DV I've seen the abuser often took it out on the pets or children, especially when the target of the abuse got away.

We are pretty sure that's how we got our younger dog. A couple of our self defense students saw a car drive up the 7-11. A man opened the door, threw the dog out, closed the door and sped away. He's a great dog, well trained, good natured and was obviously used to sleeping in bed with his humans. Our best guess, along with that of the police and the animal control people, is that it was a breakup or domestic abuse situation. The guy took it out on his partner by getting rid of her pet.

We're glad to have Sev. He's a wonderful animal. I'd really, really like to kick that guy half to death. People who abandon pets are lower than whale dung.

Not just when you're isolated and abused.

People love their pets - no need to defend them staying for their pets as opposed for some hypothetical child. In theory at least the child has more protection under law.

Dear Ms. Harris.....

How interesting....

Just yesterday, I was re-reading Ellen Gilchrist's 1996 short story collection, "The Courts of Love". One of the final stories in the collection is "The Dog Who Delivered Papers to the Stars"---which is about precisely the same issue addressed by your article and the new Maine law.

By contrast, though.....I know of one woman who, after her husband left her, would make a point of attending the very high-level dogshows at which he exhibited his prize sealyham terriers (they're white dogs). Just before he would go into the show-ring, she would freshen her jungle-red lipstick, stride forward to the gate(he would try to block her, but who can make a fuss at a dog-show?).....and she would grasp the beard of the dog (who adored her still) and plant a big, smeary, blotchy kiss of utterly disqualifying red-lipstick goo all across the dog's forehead.

She cost him (the mean ex, not the dog) tons of money that way....and the dog enjoyed the process each time she did it.

Level Best as Ever,

David Terry

www.davidterryart.com

dterrydraw@aol.com

that provide shelter or foster care for the animals of domestic violence survivors. That is still hard on the victim, but better than letting the animals be at the mercy of the abuser. In California, there's an animal rescue that works with the local domestic violence agency for this purpose. More areas should have programs like that, along with the protective order.

You and I will live to see the day where a person is sentenced to death, in America, for killing or torturing a pet. Don't be too too offended though as only animals have human rights here.