If you are like many people in Kentucky, you have a cat or a dog that you love and consider a dear member of your family. This can be a wonderful thing, but if you are married and you and your spouse make the decision to get a divorce, you must now wrestle with the decision about who will get to keep the pet.
A survey conducted by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers shows that more couples are struggling with the custody of their furry family member during their divorces than in prior years. Yahoo Finance reports that some states have even passed legislation to provide guidance to judges in divorce courts about how to make a determination in a pet custody case. Pets are still considered property in a divorce, but more and more people are advocating that they require a level of consideration in a divorce different than other property items like household objects or other assets.
Prenuptial agreements outlining provisions for who will keep a cat, dog or other pet if the couple gets divorced are yet another way some people are choosing to address this issue. This option may well be fueled by the requirement of some pet adoption agencies that people provide this information before they are allowed to complete the adoption process for a new pet.
If you would like to learn more about how to manage the various decisions you must face when your marriage ends, please feel free to visit the divorcing spouse’s assistance page of our Kentucky divorce and family law website.