As more and more couples wait to start families or simply build lives without children, dogs are becoming a more crucial element in divorces. The emotional place that these people’s dogs hold in their lives cannot be minimized. When divorce happens, some of those couples are putting the same level of fight into keeping their dogs that parents put into fighting for their children.

For many couples, their dogs are their children. People have built their lives around caring for their dogs and their dogs fill a unique and emotional place in their lives that they do not want to give up. Many of these dog owners may have spent more than a decade living with and caring for their dog and they cannot imagine life without him or her. And they should not have to. A good divorce lawyer will understand your situation and help you effectively pursue an outcome that lines up with the future you want and deserve.

If an arrangement cannot be worked out among the spouses regarding custody of the dogs, it may be an issue that lawyers will need to address as part of the divorce. 

As with any important element of a marriage, the divorce is a time for settling important questions ranging from the division of property and any alimony or other types of support. Making sure that you are able to secure an agreement that meets your needs, whether it is related to continued, shared ownership of a beloved family pet or some other issue often requires skilled legal representation that understands how to make the divorce process work for you.