Would you join the trend for couples getting pet pre-nups?

Virgin Radio

14 Jun 2021, 16:22

Just in case relationships end up in the dog house, animal lovers are getting pet pre-nups to stop any nasty battles post split - or facing legal fees as much as £10,000. According to British law firm Stewarts, there's been a 122 per cent increase in enquiries of separations between July and October in 2020 - and an increasing amount of dog-related divorce issues. 

Partner in Family Law at Langleys Solicitors, Theo Hoppen, told Tyla: "Aside from the arrangements for children, deciding who takes the family pet can be one of the most difficult battles to have when dividing up assets on separation.

"If parties cannot agree arrangements for Fido, a Court will only be interested in who paid for the pet and who was responsible for the pet financially, unless it can be clearly shown the pet was purchased as a gift for the other party or there was an agreement that the ownership would be shared with the party who did not purchase it.

Credit: Getty

"Similarly, to a pre-nuptial agreement, petnups can set out the arrangements upon separation and confirm who the pet will live with, who will pay for vet fees and who will ultimately care for the pet.

"When drafted correctly, a 'petnup' can form a contract between you and your partner which will likely be upheld by the Court."

Animal welfare charity Blue Cross has shared information on petnups on their website, which reads: "We're encouraging pet owners to think about their beloved pets.

"We want to lessen the stress and heartache for owners and pets alike."

Woof to that.