The News Life

One in four divorces in UK involves pet dispute

April 5, 2024 by Pham Hien

When you think of divorces and custody battles, you probably imagine children caught in-between – but in a growing number of cases.

Reportedly, 25 per cent of divorces in the UK include a dispute about a pet; as pets are currently viewed as property by the law, the matter is  – regardless the emotional attachments between pet and human.

Prenuptial agreements to establish in advance who gets the pet in case of break-up, or “petnups”, are on the rise but still relatively rare.  surveyed 500 people throughout the UK, asking if they would consider a petnup when buying a dog with their partner. However, only 17 per cent of those surveyed said they would consider it.

divorces often involve custody for pets

Gabrielle Read-Thomas, Senior Solicitor at Stowe Family Law’s Altrincham & Chester offices, said, “I have had numerous clients come for an appointment to discuss their divorce, an important part of which is ongoing arrangements for their much-loved pet. I have a cat myself and can entirely empathise with this situation!

“Reportedly, one in four divorces now involves a dispute over a pet and as a result, The Law Society has previously suggested that entering into a ‘petnup’ might be beneficial. This is like a prenuptial or separation agreement, but specifically dealing with pets.

“Currently, the law is clear – a pet is classed as a chattel i.e. an item of personal property such as an item of furniture or jewellery. Essentially, the party who bought the animal, and to whom it is registered, will keep it.  The only exception is if there is clear evidence the animal was subsequently gifted to the other party.”

According to  inability to reach an agreement can lead to the pet being taken to a rescue centre or sold on – and, in extreme cases, even put to sleep.

Filed Under: Dog New

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • BREAKING NEWS: It’s More Than Just Home Runs Flying Out of the Park: Weaver Faces a Mental and Career Crisis as He Admits ‘It’s Hard to Make Sense of What’s Been Going On’ — A Deep Dive Into the Hidden Struggles of a Pitcher Whose Future Hangs in the Balance, Leaving Fans and Analysts Wondering Whether He Can Survive This Dark Chapter in His MLB Journey.nh1
  • St. Louis Legend Ted Simmons Finally Earns His Spot in Cooperstown — and His Words Bring Fans to Tears.Y1
  • July 4th Bombshell: Inside the Silent Pressure and Fan Uprising Calling for the Firing of Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman, and Who’s Really Behind the Viral Tweets Shaking Yankees Nation?.nh1
  • “Just One Call”—How Cubs’ Ian Happ Answered a Boy’s Plainest Wish and Moved MLB to Tears.Y1
  • Basketball superstar Caitlin Clark takes over downtown Indianapolis ahead of WNBA All-Star.P1

Recent Comments

  1. A WordPress Commenter on Hello world!

Copyright © 2025 · Paradise on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in