Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) announced today that Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 221 into law. The legislation closes a dangerous loophole in California’s stalking statutes by clarifying that when stalkers threaten to harm a victim’s pet as a way to instill fear and exert control, those threats are legally recognized as a component of threatening behavior.
“For years I have worked to strengthen California’s stalking laws to ensure they reflect the real tactics victims face,” said Senator Ochoa Bogh. “SB 221 recognizes that stalkers often target what victims love most, their pets, to use as a weapon of intimidation. This law makes it clear that using animals to terrorize victims is stalking, and it will now carry consequences. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues in the Legislature and to the many advocates who stood with me year after year to finally see this bill through.”
Stalking is a crime of control and intimidation, affecting millions of Americans each year. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, one in three women and one in six men in the United States have experienced stalking in their lifetime. The National Crime Victimization Survey found that four in ten stalkers threaten not only their victims but also family members, friends, co-workers, or pets as a way to escalate fear and psychological abuse.
“SB 221 holds stalkers accountable and closes a loophole in California law that has allowed abusers to manipulate and terrorize victims by threatening their pets. We thank Senator Ochoa Bogh for her strong commitment to public safety and protecting vulnerable victims,” said Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin.
“Most Americans consider their pets family, with a statistical majority of women considering their pets as important to them as human family members. This highlights how easy it is for stalkers to strike fear in and control over their victims by threatening harm to their companion animals,” said Judie Mancuso, Founder and President of Social Compassion in Legislation which cosponsored SB 221. “It is well established that violence against animals is directly linked to violence against people. This law will help prevent the emotional toll that this kind of stalking behaviour can take on victims, while also stopping physical violence before it happens - to both animals and humans.”
“On behalf of our thousands of supporters in California, we want to again thank Governor Newsom for his compassion and thoughtfulness in signing this important legislation, as well as Senator Ochoa Bogh for her relentless advocacy for SB 221, and the entire legislature which voted for it unanimously.”
SB 221 received broad support from law enforcement, victim advocates, and animal protection groups across California. With its signing into law, California now recognizes that when stalkers use threats against pets to terrorize victims, those actions can constitute stalking behavior and will be prosecuted accordingly.
The new law will take effect on January 1, 2026.