Animal-rights activists are pushing for court protection for animals caught between people in a domestic-violence situation.

Animal Rescue League of Iowa director Tom Colvin says his agency provides a "safe house" or other forms of protection to at least one pet a week caught between two feuding parties.

Colvin said some battered-women's shelters don't allow pets, forcing owners to leave the animals in a home. Colvin says they fear the animals could be harmed or used as leverage to get the owner to return.

Legislation making its way through the Statehouse would expand the scope of judicial restraint in domestic abuse cases to include to include pets.

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Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier,
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2009/02/19/news/breaking_news/doc499d41d57b16b231085067.txt