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There are many issues to battle when going through a divorce, who gets the house, child custody disputes and financial complications.
Now, the debate over who gets the family pet is causing an extra worry for divorcing couples.
Fight for Fido
Less than a decade ago, pets were viewed simply as property in divorce cases and treated much like all the other things that are to be split when two people were separating.
However, times have changed and apparently so have the property value of our furry friends.
According to reports, legal battles regarding who gets the pet are quite common these days in divorce cases.
New Technique to Decide Pet Custody
Dr. Amy Marder, an animal behavior specialist in Lexington is often hired by divorcing couples to settle the legal dispute of which partner gets custody of the household pet.
Marder says she evaluates the pet and the couple by spending a couple of hours with them and analyzing the pet’s behavior.
In her evaluation she asks the owners questions like, who spends more time with the pet and who feeds it.
She also asks about the pet’s overall temperament and upbringing before she can make any kind of decision about where its future home should be.
Marder, like other animal specialist, feel that this technique is far more effective in making the right decision than the “calling contests” method previously used by lawyers.
(Source: The Boston Globe)
Are you currently going through a custody battle in your divorce? If so, please contact us today to speak with an experienced attorney who can help you explore your legal options.