Mother of woman murdered by husband calls for UK animal abuse register

Annette Bramley at home in Lincolnshire. ‘I didn’t think he would stop at animals,’ she says. ‘I knew the connection between animal and abuse and domestic abuse.’ Photograph: Fabio De Paola/The Guardian View image in fullscreen Annette Bramley at home in Lincolnshire. ‘I didn’t think he would stop at animals,’ she says. ‘I knew the connection between animal and abuse and domestic abuse.’ Photograph: Fabio De Paola/The Guardian Mother of woman murdered by husband calls for UK animal abuse register Annette Bramley says Holly’s Law would stop perpetrators acquiring pets and raise awareness of domestic abuse link Annette Bramley fondly remembers her daughter Holly as being family-oriented and a lover of animals. “She adored anything small and furry, or even not. I mean, she thought orangutans were beautiful,” she said. When Holly ended up in a controlling and abusive relationship, her husband, Nicholas Metson, was quick to use this passion against her. He bought Holly a puppy and then tried to kill it by putting it in a washing machine at their home in Lincoln. After it was rescued by Holly, he drowned it in a bath. He went on to kill and abuse numerous hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs over the course of their seven-year relationship. Annette said she thought he used the threat of animal abuse to force Holly to do what he wanted. “I didn’t think he would stop at animals. I knew the connection between animal abuse and domestic abuse,” she said. “When the police came to the door, we knew nothing else could possibly have happened to her. We didn’t suspect a car accident or anything like that; we just said: ‘What has he done to her?’” Holly, 26, was killed by Metson in March 2023 in what prosecutors described as a “twisted and barbaric” attack, cutting Holly’s body into more than 200 pieces, which were later discovered by a member of the public. Bramley is now campaigning for Holly’s Law in her daughter’s memory, to stop prolific animal abusers from being able to acquire more pets, and to raise awareness of the link between animal and domestic abuse. She wants to see an animal abuse register and a scheme to allow police to disclose information on animal abuse and neglect to prevent perpetrators acquiring more pets. Studies have shown a strong link between pet abuse and domestic abuse , including perpetrators using animals as a coercive control strategy, while analysis by the UK’s national wildlife crime unit found a link to domestic violence and abuse for 27% of all wildlife crime offenders. The government said it had commissioned a research project to explore the connection further and that it would work with the veterinary profession to help staff recognise potential signs of domestic abuse through non-accidental animal injuries. Bramley said: “I think vets need to be educated on this. If you have an animal that’s regularly being brought in with a broken leg or dislocated shoulder, they should be able to spot the signs and raise concerns.” Mark Randel