When love ends, the hardest decisions aren’ t always about houses or bank accounts – they’ re about the furry family members who can’ t speak for themselves. Here’ s a practical guide to pet custody agreements.
By Karis Nafte, Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant and owner of Who Keeps the Dog
When a relationship ends, people have to think carefully about the house, the finances, and, if they have children, a coparenting plan. What may also be overwhelming and requires thoughtful planning is making plans for the animals in the household. For many couples, the dog or cat is as much a part of the family as anyone else, and decisions about their care deserve the same careful thought.
Here’ s a practical guide to three things every separating couple with a pet needs to agree on, and why getting it in writing is the most important step of all.
Visitation: what actually works for your pet
The first question many people ask is: can we share the pet equally? The honest answer is that living between homes is not ideal for dogs, and the most important voice in that conversation is not yours or your ex-partner’ s. It is your pet’ s.
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