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Divorces affect more than just humans

In a divorce, who gets the pets?

Divorce is rampant in this country (as are death and taxes). Custody fights over children are common, but requests for custodial rights of pets are on the rise.

At least eight out of 10 homes have pets.; seven of those 10 homes are married couples. With a divorce rate of (and I‘m only guessing on these statistics) 45 percent, to whom or where will these pets go?

The good news is that amicable divorces are on the rise. Shared custody of the pets is now a common thing and most often doesn’t have to be court ordered. Luckily, most couples who are divorcing choose not to surrender their pets to a shelter, or adopt them out to someone else.

One thing that I have seen all too often though, is a newlywed couple getting a pet and then deciding to have a child. Almost immediately, the pet is put up for adoption or surrendered to a shelter because the new parents feel like either the pet is a threat to the new child or they can’t afford to have both.

My opinion? Adopt out the child; it will cost you so much more to keep it in the long run. Just ask any parent! In today’s economy, we’re all trying to save money. Children will never let you do that.

I’ve known parents who get divorced because of their children. I’ve known fewer pet owners to get divorced because of the pets.

After 14 years and with as many pets as we have (we have no human children), trying to figure out who would get which ones would be a heartbreaking task for both of us. I really think we would have to ask our lawyers to ask the judge for shared custody of each of the pets (upon this, we both agree). I’d even be willing to foot the bill for veterinary care for all of them. After all, when we were adopted by these pets, we took them in with the mutual understanding that they would be cared for no matter what, though I chose to take care of that expense on my own. Shared custody would be the only arrangement with which either of us, and perhaps the pets themselves would be happy.

If you have a pet that both of you love and you’re considering divorce, there’s no reason why there can’t be a settlement that makes all of you happy. Granted, once you get into other relationships things may change. At that point you have to figure out where the pet is happiest and where it will be well attended. It’s all subjective.

You have to consider the new life you’re trying to build for yourself and whether that particular pet will be able to play an active role in it.

Divorces, separations and break-ups are hard on everyone involved. Don’t make your pets part of the problem. Let them be an amicable part of a good “solution to the dissolution.”

Corey Baginski is an Alabaster resident and a veteranarian technician. You can reach him by e-mail at corey67@ymail.com.