During a divorce – even one that is not contentious – deciding what will happen to family pets can be challenging. Pets are often treated like family members, and both spouses may feel strongly about keeping them.
A collaborative divorce can help couples work together to make a fair decision about their pets’ future. In a collaborative divorce, the goal is to settle things calmly without going to court. This approach can make it easier to talk openly about what’s best for everyone, including pets. In a collaborative divorce scenario, you and your spouse can create an agreement for how you’ll share the care of your pet or decide who will keep them.
What options do you have?
In a collaborative divorce, you and your spouse have more choices for working out pet arrangements. Here are some common options:
- Shared Custody: You could agree to a shared schedule where each person takes care of the pet for certain days, weeks or even months. This can work well if both of you still want to spend time with the pet and live close by. This may also be appropriate if you and your spouse share children and you want your pet to follow where your children go.
- Full Custody with Visitation: One person keeps the pet full-time, but the other person has regular visitation rights. This is a good option if one spouse can’t take care of the pet full-time due to work or home restrictions but still wants to stay connected.
When deciding arrangements for a pet, you’ll want to think about what your animal truly needs. For example, a pet that’s used to a yard may be better off with the spouse who has outdoor space. A pet that needs daily attention may be happier with the spouse who has more time at home. Talking about these needs calmly in a collaborative divorce can help you make a decision that works best for everyone.