Causeway Coast Dog Rescue welcomes 'significant progress' towards introducing Ruby's Law in NI

A local animal rescue charity has welcomed significant progress towards introducing ‘Ruby’s Law’ in Northern Ireland.

The Domestic Abuse (Pets) Bill, commonly known as Ruby’s Law, seeks specific changes to current family law to explicitly protect pets in households where there is domestic abuse.

Barrister and Founder of Ruby’s Law, Christina Warner with Paul Frew MLA and Tara Cunningham, Causeway Coast Dog Rescue, at Stormont during CCDR's Animal Welfare Conference, Legislation into Action and launch of their Manifesto, where the announcement was made about Ruby’s Law coming into Northern Ireland, supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence and coercive control with their animals.

placeholder image — Barrister and Founder of Ruby’s Law, Christina Warner with Paul Frew MLA and Tara Cunningham, Causeway Coast Dog Rescue, at Stormont during CCDR's Animal Welfare Conference, Legislation into Action and launch of their Manifesto, where the announcement was made about Ruby’s Law coming into Northern Ireland, supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence and coercive control with their animals.

Charity Causeway Coast Dog Rescue (CCDR) has welcomed progress towards introducing the law in Northern Ireland following confirmation that amendments brought forward by Paul Frew MLA have passed the Assembly’s Consideration Stage and are now contained within clauses 32 and 33 of the Justice Bill.

The proposed legislation seeks to provide greater protection where a pet is harmed, threatened, controlled or used to intimidate a victim of domestic abuse.

Subject to the Justice Bill completing its remaining legislative stages, Northern Ireland is expected to become the first jurisdiction in the United Kingdom and Ireland to introduce legal provisions of this kind under ‘Ruby’s Law’.

The campaign has been led in Northern Ireland by Tara Cunningham, CCDR Manager, working with barrister and founder, Christina Warner and supported by elected representatives and experts in animal welfare, domestic abuse, safeguarding and justice.

Causeway Coast Dog Rescue said it also recognises the important role played by Claire Sugden MLA, who opened the door to political and departmental discussions by raising Ruby’s Law on CCDR’s behalf at Stormont, in October 2025.

Tara Cunninham of CCDR said: “That early intervention helped bring the issue before decision-makers and created an opportunity for the campaign’s evidence and proposed reforms to be considered.

"Paul Frew MLA subsequently brought amendments forward during the Consideration Stage of the Justice Bill. Those amendments passed the Assembly and progressing to next stage.”