Pet Custody
You guard and care for your pet — your furry companion is a living being and proper care is a guardian’s legal and ethical obligation. Pets are an important part of your life. When a relationship comes to an end, you may be left struggling with the decision of who will get to keep your pet – the one you both loved and cared for over time. Just as people argue about custody and responsibility of children, people argue over custody of their pets. If a former couple cannot come to a written agreement about visitation or custody, the courts may settle the dispute according to the needs and interest of the animal however, the trend is to view animals simply as any other piece of property. Do what you can to keep this issue out of the court room — consider mediation or arbitration when pet custody is the issue. It is more cost-effective, time efficient and one of the best aspects is that parties can get as creative as they like. That’s not how this issue plays out in court!
CBS News provided easy-to-understand coverage of Pet Custody in its nightly news. Read the report >