Familias multiespecie: ¿Una nueva realidad?
Pets and Divorce
Much to the despair of animal lovers all throughout Pennsylvania, during the divorce and equitable distribution process, pets that were acquired during the marriage are considered personal property and are treated no...more
It’s no secret that, for many, pets are viewed as members of the family. When you consider the day-to-day relationship between pet and owner, this reality makes complete and total sense. To be sure, just as human family...more
The province of British Columbia (B.C.) and the State of New York are leading the way in the field of pet custody and could be just the nudge needed to signal others to catch up. In the United States, pets are generally...more
From time to time, we have written regarding pet custody, though there is very little case law on the issue. Historically, pets were treated as chattel (property) and courts did not enter custody and visitation orders for...more
As more and more couples are disputing pet custody issues when divorcing or separating, there is increasing concern in the legal community about how to fairly adjudicate these disputes, without unnecessarily burdening the...more
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, pet populations, particularly dogs and cats, are on the rise and expected to continue to increase through at least 2030. Many people have welcomed a new pet to the...more
Under the current law, a pet is divided the same as your coffee table. The dog or cat is awarded to one spouse; the value of the pet is the value the pet would sell for at a yard sale....more
I was recently a panelist at the 2019 annual meeting of the New Jersey State Bar Association discussing legal issues about how to share pets after divorce. As pets become increasingly important in many households in the...more
As a mother of a three (3) year old, I spend a fair amount of time (more than I’d like to admit) immersed in animated television programs. I am struck by how many of these programs revolve around pets. From Chase from “Paw...more
Our dogs and cats are part of our family, right? They do not just represent property to be divided, right? Actually, in North Carolina, pets are considered property and as such our courts will divide your pets in the same...more
It is estimated that 70-80 million dogs and 74-96 million cats are owned in the United States. That equates to approximately 37-47% of all households in the United States own a dog, while approximately 30-37% of all...more
Divorce takes an emotional toll on all families. For over 60% of the households in the United States, that also includes their pets. While all courts are required to address custody matters involving children, most states are...more