The Lansing State Journal/KRT News Service reveals the divorce court battles over pets. Some couples turn to mediation to avoid the harsh reality of justice under the law.
Daniel De Vise writes (excerpt):
In a strict legal sense, there is no such thing as pet custody. America’s case-law tradition treats dogs and cats as property in divorces.
Judges, faced with a custody dispute over a pet, are bound to treat the animal like a couch or a plasma TV.
“You get divided,” said Judith Kreeger, a Miami-Dade circuit judge who has some insight in this area; her own poodle, Jasmine, has been spotted around the courthouse.
“The legal issues are simple. It can be very hard on the couple.”