As people have increasingly come to think of their pets as family members, the ending of a marriage sometimes leads to fierce disputes about who gets the dog or cat. A Divorce Lawyer in Tacoma WA may set up mediation sessions specifically to help the two individuals come to an agreement about this without having to actually take the matter in front of a judge.
The Personal Bond
Sometimes it is quite clear that one human has more of a bond with the pet than the other person does. This isn’t the only factor to be considered, however. After a Divorce Lawyer in Tacoma WA arranges mediation sessions, the couple may want to think about aspects that a judge might take into account.
Technical Ownership
One consideration would be whether one of the spouses was responsible for adopting the animal in the first place. Traditionally, this is how judges approached the matter. They also reviewed whether one person was in charge of buying food and other pet supplies, and bringing the dog or cat to the vet. Sometimes, however, it’s still the other person who has created a stronger bond with this companion animal.
The Living Environment
If the case were brought to court, the judge might focus on which living environment is best for the animal. Is one of the spouses gone significantly more than the other for work or other reasons? Historically, judges have treated pets as property, but this is changing. Respected law journals have even published articles about the trend for judges to think about what is best for the pet instead of which person technically owns the dog or cat.
Children
What about children? Will they be primarily living with one parent? If so, is it better for the dog or cat to stay with this family unit? They may be able to provide more attention for the pet than one person can. In contrast, it might become clear to the couple that the person not living with the kids could devote more attention to the companion animal. Mediation sessions can be arranged by a divorce attorney such as Kevin G. Byrd.
