For many couples, pets provided a stand-in for children while they built their careers, or when they just preferred to remain child-free. When a marriage dissolves, the status of a beloved dog, cat, or other pet can become contentious if you don’t negotiate thoughtfully with your spouse.
One approach that a New York judge has taken when custody of pets was holding up the divorce was to give the couple a choice: decide custody and visitation on your own, or let the judge award total custody to one of them.
If the judge decided, the other spouse would have no access to the pet ever again.
The couple reached their own determination, and the judge was not forced to decide.
Letting go is part of what it means to divorce, but that doesn’t mean you have to let go of an animal companion.
At Zelenitz, Shapiro & D’Agostino, we know that careful negotiation with your spouse and their attorneys is critical to achieving an agreement that protects the things that matter to you.
Trust us to help you in even the most difficult divorce actions.
Call us today at 718-523-1111 and talk to an experienced Queens divorce lawyer for free.