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When I founded Ruby’s Law in January 2025, it was born from years of witnessing the same heartbreaking pattern repeat itself in family courts: victims of domestic abuse forced to stay with their abusers—or risk leaving behind their beloved pets, who are often used as pawns in a cycle of coercion and control.
As a barrister specialising in human rights and family law, I have sat across from countless survivors who feared more for the safety of their animals than for themselves. I have seen the emotional devastation when a person is told there is no legal protection available for the dog, cat, or companion animal who gave them strength during their darkest times.
That has to change.
Ruby’s Law is my campaign to ensure that pets—who are often victims in their own right—are recognised within our legal system and explicitly protected under the Family Law Act 1996 and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
The UK is a nation of animal lovers, with over 60% of households owning a pet. Yet in abusive households, these same animals often suffer silently. A landmark study by Dogs Trust found that 97% of domestic abuse professionals had encountered cases where pets were harmed to control a victim. In 49% of cases, the animal was killed. This isn’t just collateral damage – it’s targeted abuse.
Shelly, a 37-year-old survivor, recalled: ‘He beat our dog for an hour because she ran off at the park. I heard her screaming, then silence. When I walked in, she was lying there, barely breathing.’
Another survivor, Ann, shared: ‘Because I was late home, he poured bleach into my fish tank. I had to sit there and watch them die.’
Pet abuse is not peripheral to domestic violence – it is central. It’s a weapon of coercion. In many cases, survivors report enduring dozens more violent incidents when pets are involved, driven by fear of what might happen to their animals if they leave.
There is a consistent and disturbing pattern: where there is domestic abuse, there is often pet abuse. In 88% of homes where physical child abuse occurred, animal abuse was also present. Abusers isolate and control their partners by harming or threatening their animals and even track them using pets – through GPS collars or by exploiting walking routines.
Such manipulation traps victims. As one survivor recounted: ‘He told me if I ever left, he’d kill my service dog. I couldn’t take that risk.’
Watching a pet suffer is not a minor trauma – it is a deeply scarring event that compounds the emotional devastation of abuse. For many, pets are the only source of comfort. Research shows:
Countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and Scotland have already begun recognising pet abuse within domestic abuse frameworks:
It’s time England and Wales did the same.
Ruby’s Law will do more than protect animals. It will:
We’ve already seen how legal grey areas have failed survivors. In FI v DO [2024] EWFC 384 (B), the family court was confronted with a now common but still legally underexplored dilemma: what happens to a beloved pet in the aftermath of domestic separation. At the heart of the case was the couple’s dog, a companion animal that had become emotionally significant not only to the parties involved but also to their children.
Following the breakdown of the relationship, the dog had lived exclusively with the wife for over eighteen months. She maintained that she had been the animal’s sole carer throughout the separation period. Although the husband had helped purchase the dog, he had had no contact with it during this time. His subsequent actions, however, escalated the matter to the courts. In a troubling incident, the husband forcibly took the dog from the wife’s mother while she was walking it, an act that resulted in the animal being injured and caused emotional distress to the children who witnessed the fallout.
Despite pets being classified as property under English law, the court took a more nuanced approach. The judge considered not only legal ownership but also the practical and emotional realities of the dog’s care and wellbeing. The court concluded that the husband’s actions were reckless and demonstrated a lack of concern for the animal’s welfare. His conduct was further complicated by the adverse impact it had on the children, for whom the dog was a source of comfort and emotional support during an already difficult time.
The court ruled in favour of the wife, awarding her sole custody of the dog and denying the husband contact rights. The judgment affirmed a progressive stance: while animals may be property in the eyes of the law, the courts must weigh the broader context, especially where family dynamics and children’s emotional stability are concerned.
This case is a powerful example of how the courts are beginning to shift. Though legislative reform is still needed to grant animals fuller recognition in domestic abuse and family law contexts, FI v DO demonstrate that judicial discretion can be exercised in a way that places welfare above ownership. It also highlights the urgent need for statutory clarity, like that proposed by Ruby’s Law to ensure that pets are treated not merely as possessions but as sentient beings with emotional significance in the fabric of a family.
This reform will help countless vulnerable groups:
It also aids frontline professionals. Vets and rescue workers frequently witness abuse signs but lack legal mechanisms to report or intervene. Ruby’s Law would change that.
Since its launch in January 2025, Ruby’s Law has gained remarkable momentum as a vital campaign addressing a deeply overlooked aspect of domestic abuse. What began as a call to protect the voiceless has quickly evolved into a serious legislative proposal, underpinned by legal analysis, survivors’ voices, and a growing coalition of advocates.
In March 2025, a detailed research brief was published, outlining the legal gaps in the Family Law Act 1996 and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and proposing concrete amendments to include companion animals in protective orders. These proposals were formally submitted to the Ministry of Justice, and the campaign reached a critical milestone when Ruby’s Law became the subject of a Parliamentary debate through the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Animal Welfare on 25 March 2025.
This engagement signaled more than symbolic recognition; it marked the beginning of Ruby’s Law entering serious legislative consideration. The campaign has also been invited to collaborate with the APPG for Dogs and Animal Welfare Group (DAWG) later this year, in October 2025, where it will further advocate for statutory protections for animals caught in the web of domestic abuse.
These developments reflect not just political interest, but an emerging consensus: that protecting survivors must also mean protecting the animals they love. Ruby’s Law stands at the intersection of justice, compassion, and modern legal reform – and it is gaining strength with every step.
Whether you’re a legal professional, policymaker, or concerned citizen – your voice matters. Support Ruby’s Law and ensure that no one must choose between their own safety and the life of the animal who loves them unconditionally.
This isn’t just legal reform. This is a humane imperative.
Let’s protect them, as they have protected us.
Christina Warner is a multi-award-winning barrister at 33 Bedford Row. A PhD candidate, she researches disabled victims’ participation in international trials. As founder of Ruby’s Law, she campaigns for pets to be recognised as victims of domestic abuse in family courts: rubyslaw.co.uk
When I founded Ruby’s Law in January 2025, it was born from years of witnessing the same heartbreaking pattern repeat itself in family courts: victims of domestic abuse forced to stay with their abusers—or risk leaving behind their beloved pets, who are often used as pawns in a cycle of coercion and control.
As a barrister specialising in human rights and family law, I have sat across from countless survivors who feared more for the safety of their animals than for themselves. I have seen the emotional devastation when a person is told there is no legal protection available for the dog, cat, or companion animal who gave them strength during their darkest times.
That has to change.
Ruby’s Law is my campaign to ensure that pets—who are often victims in their own right—are recognised within our legal system and explicitly protected under the Family Law Act 1996 and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
The UK is a nation of animal lovers, with over 60% of households owning a pet. Yet in abusive households, these same animals often suffer silently. A landmark study by Dogs Trust found that 97% of domestic abuse professionals had encountered cases where pets were harmed to control a victim. In 49% of cases, the animal was killed. This isn’t just collateral damage – it’s targeted abuse.
Shelly, a 37-year-old survivor, recalled: ‘He beat our dog for an hour because she ran off at the park. I heard her screaming, then silence. When I walked in, she was lying there, barely breathing.’
Another survivor, Ann, shared: ‘Because I was late home, he poured bleach into my fish tank. I had to sit there and watch them die.’
Pet abuse is not peripheral to domestic violence – it is central. It’s a weapon of coercion. In many cases, survivors report enduring dozens more violent incidents when pets are involved, driven by fear of what might happen to their animals if they leave.
There is a consistent and disturbing pattern: where there is domestic abuse, there is often pet abuse. In 88% of homes where physical child abuse occurred, animal abuse was also present. Abusers isolate and control their partners by harming or threatening their animals and even track them using pets – through GPS collars or by exploiting walking routines.
Such manipulation traps victims. As one survivor recounted: ‘He told me if I ever left, he’d kill my service dog. I couldn’t take that risk.’
Watching a pet suffer is not a minor trauma – it is a deeply scarring event that compounds the emotional devastation of abuse. For many, pets are the only source of comfort. Research shows:
Countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and Scotland have already begun recognising pet abuse within domestic abuse frameworks:
It’s time England and Wales did the same.
Ruby’s Law will do more than protect animals. It will:
We’ve already seen how legal grey areas have failed survivors. In FI v DO [2024] EWFC 384 (B), the family court was confronted with a now common but still legally underexplored dilemma: what happens to a beloved pet in the aftermath of domestic separation. At the heart of the case was the couple’s dog, a companion animal that had become emotionally significant not only to the parties involved but also to their children.
Following the breakdown of the relationship, the dog had lived exclusively with the wife for over eighteen months. She maintained that she had been the animal’s sole carer throughout the separation period. Although the husband had helped purchase the dog, he had had no contact with it during this time. His subsequent actions, however, escalated the matter to the courts. In a troubling incident, the husband forcibly took the dog from the wife’s mother while she was walking it, an act that resulted in the animal being injured and caused emotional distress to the children who witnessed the fallout.
Despite pets being classified as property under English law, the court took a more nuanced approach. The judge considered not only legal ownership but also the practical and emotional realities of the dog’s care and wellbeing. The court concluded that the husband’s actions were reckless and demonstrated a lack of concern for the animal’s welfare. His conduct was further complicated by the adverse impact it had on the children, for whom the dog was a source of comfort and emotional support during an already difficult time.
The court ruled in favour of the wife, awarding her sole custody of the dog and denying the husband contact rights. The judgment affirmed a progressive stance: while animals may be property in the eyes of the law, the courts must weigh the broader context, especially where family dynamics and children’s emotional stability are concerned.
This case is a powerful example of how the courts are beginning to shift. Though legislative reform is still needed to grant animals fuller recognition in domestic abuse and family law contexts, FI v DO demonstrate that judicial discretion can be exercised in a way that places welfare above ownership. It also highlights the urgent need for statutory clarity, like that proposed by Ruby’s Law to ensure that pets are treated not merely as possessions but as sentient beings with emotional significance in the fabric of a family.
This reform will help countless vulnerable groups:
It also aids frontline professionals. Vets and rescue workers frequently witness abuse signs but lack legal mechanisms to report or intervene. Ruby’s Law would change that.
Since its launch in January 2025, Ruby’s Law has gained remarkable momentum as a vital campaign addressing a deeply overlooked aspect of domestic abuse. What began as a call to protect the voiceless has quickly evolved into a serious legislative proposal, underpinned by legal analysis, survivors’ voices, and a growing coalition of advocates.
In March 2025, a detailed research brief was published, outlining the legal gaps in the Family Law Act 1996 and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and proposing concrete amendments to include companion animals in protective orders. These proposals were formally submitted to the Ministry of Justice, and the campaign reached a critical milestone when Ruby’s Law became the subject of a Parliamentary debate through the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Animal Welfare on 25 March 2025.
This engagement signaled more than symbolic recognition; it marked the beginning of Ruby’s Law entering serious legislative consideration. The campaign has also been invited to collaborate with the APPG for Dogs and Animal Welfare Group (DAWG) later this year, in October 2025, where it will further advocate for statutory protections for animals caught in the web of domestic abuse.
These developments reflect not just political interest, but an emerging consensus: that protecting survivors must also mean protecting the animals they love. Ruby’s Law stands at the intersection of justice, compassion, and modern legal reform – and it is gaining strength with every step.
Whether you’re a legal professional, policymaker, or concerned citizen – your voice matters. Support Ruby’s Law and ensure that no one must choose between their own safety and the life of the animal who loves them unconditionally.
This isn’t just legal reform. This is a humane imperative.
Let’s protect them, as they have protected us.
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