Protection orders would cover pets under bill passed by House

OLYMPIA — A bill passed today by the state House would extend the protections of domestic-violence restraining orders to pets owned by the person who secures the order.

The bill, which passed 96-1, now goes to the state Senate.

Courts could decide custody of jointly owned pets if a domestic-violence protection order is taken out.

The measure would also bar the target of the restraining order from having contact with the pets.

Rep. Brendan Williams, D-Olympia, the bill's sponsor, said the measure merely closes a loophole. The property of those who take out such protection orders is already protected; extending that protection to animals only makes sense, he said.

Williams said he was deeply moved by a story he heard from a domestic-violence victim. Not only did her "ex-husband set fire to her house, but first did so by building a ring of fire around the couple's two dogs," he said during House debate.

Also passed Monday by the House:

• A bill that would allow prosecutors to divert prosecution of child prostitutes in favor of alternatives that include rehabilitation programs, job training and chemical-dependency services.

• A measure allowing beer and wine specialty shops to sell malt liquor in keg-sized quantities.

Both measures now move on to the Senate for consideration.