Image by Amaya Eguizábal from Pixabay
States are now creating guidelines for judges because “fur parents” are frequently suing for custody of the family dog.
For years, pets were treated no differently from furniture, houses or cars. But all of that has changed. Judges are deciding.
It’s recommended that judges ask questions about who is most attached to the pet, who has more time to spend with it and the role that the pet plays in the lives of the children.
Essentially, judges should consider the well-being of the pet and think of them as family members instead of property.
Typically, most couples come to a decision outside of the courtroom, but when the situation involves a two-income couple with no children, the judge ends up being the one to decide.
Several affluent British couples ended up in court over the cost of caring for horses with very pricey outcomes on behalf of the wives who own them. Bet those husbands didn’t count on that when they said, “I do”.
Claudia
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