You Can Get An Oklahoma Protective Order For Your Dog
Video Transcribed: Can you get a protective order for your dog in Oklahoma? I’m Tulsa attorney, James Wirth, and I’m about to answer that question. Okay, so you’re filing for a protective order. Can you put your dog on there? And, the answer is yes. Just a few years ago, it was added in to allow that to occur.
Let me read the statute to you. The person seeking a protective order may request the exclusive care, possession or control of any animal owned, 
possessed, leased, kept or held by either the petitioner, defendant, or minor child residing in the residence of the petitioner or defendant.
The court may order the defendant to make no contact with the animal or forbid the defendant from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming or otherwise disposing of the animal. So the answer is definitely yes, but there’s a few different things I want to cover that’s written in the statute.
So, first off, it doesn’t have to be a dog. It can be any type of animal. It doesn’t put any restrictions on it. It could be cattle. It could be obviously a pet, any other cat, but I mean it could be cattle, other livelihood animals, I suppose. Second thing I want to look into is it doesn’t require that you actually own it. Not only does the petitioner that’s requesting to protect not have to own the animal, but it doesn’t even indicate that the defendant has to own the animal. It says that it could be possessed, leased, kept or held.
So, just if it’s being held by either the petitioner, defendant, or a child that’s residing in the same household. Being held. So, can you steal somebody’s dog this way? Well, by the language of the statute it would seem that you could at least temporarily.
We’ve had clients that we’ve represented that have been very upset that their girlfriend or boyfriend has taken their animal through a protective order. “It wasn’t their animal, it was my animal.” But, they put it on the protective order and was able to do it. And, the law allows that at least temporarily if they can show that there’s a necessity for the protective order. If you’re wanting to know whether an animal can be put on the protective, the answer is yes. They can be listed, they can have an order for no contact.
But, if you’re involved in this situation, don’t take my word for it based on this general information. Get specific information related to your circumstances by talking to an attorney. If you want to talk to me, give me a call, 918-932-2800 or to WirthLawOffice.com.
