MAINE PET PROTECTION LAW
UNIQUE LAW: Maine's first-in-the-nation law allows judges to include pets in protection orders for spouses and partners leaving abusive relationships. WHY PETS? Advocates hope to help battered women and others who aren't willing to abandon their animals to be saved themselves. ELSEWHERE: Laws in California, Connecticut, Louisiana, Nebraska, Ohio and Tennessee encourage cross-reporting among agencies involved in law enforcement, domestic violence, child protection and animal control. Source: The Associated Press