Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) has announced that the Senate Public Safety Committee has unanimously approved Senate Bill 221. The bill will better protect victims of stalking by amending state penal code to conform to the federal stalking statute by including threats to a victim’s pet as a component of threatening behavior that could be used to establish a pattern of conduct.
“California law continues to lag behind in protecting victims of stalking,” said Senator Ochoa Bogh. “It is unconscionable that a stalker can threaten harm to a victim’s pet as a way to manipulate and frighten a victim and face no legal consequences. SB 221 will ensure that California law acknowledges the devastating psychological impacts these threats have on victims and hold perpetrators accountable. I thank my colleagues who supported my bill in committee and look forward to continuing my work of protecting victims of stalking.”
Stalking is a serious crime of control and intimidation that affects millions of Americans each year. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, one in three women (31.2%) and one in six men (16.1%) in the U.S. have experienced stalking in their lifetime. Disturbingly, perpetrators frequently target victims’ pets as a means of instilling fear and emotional distress. A National Crime Victimization Survey found that four in ten stalkers threaten not only their victims but also their victims’ family members, friends, co-workers, or pets, with over 87,000 cases of threats against pets reported.
“Animals are family – every supporter of our group believes this, and recent national polls show that the general public feels the same way. Just like any loved one, pets can be a point of vulnerability that stalkers may exploit to terrorize their victims,” said Judie Mancuso, founder and president of Social Compassion in Legislation, the animal advocacy organization sponsoring SB 221. “We thank Senator Ochoa Bogh for her relentless support of this policy. This legislation will help ensure that those who weaponize the strong bond between victims and their beloved companion animals are held accountable.”
The standard of proof to convict a stalker is very high, the highest of all standards in the law – meaning there must be proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the pattern of stalking behavior to convict a perpetrator.
Under existing state stalking law, if a stalker threatens a victim’s pet to instill fear in and control their victim, this behavior cannot currently be used to establish a pattern of stalking, leaving a gap in protections. SB 221 amends Penal Code Sec. 646.9 to align with the federal anti-stalking statute, which includes threats to a victim’s pet as a qualifying act of intimidation. The bill ensures that perpetrators who use pets as leverage to harass and control their victims can be held criminally accountable.
Supporters of SB 221 emphasize the strong emotional bond between victims and their pets. For many, a pet is not just an animal but a cherished companion and family member. Stalkers should not be able to use threats against that animal as a means to harass, manipulate, or terrorize their victim.
SB 221 has garnered widespread support from law enforcement agencies, victim advocacy groups, and animal welfare organizations.