A new California law means pets don’t need to be treated as “just” property in a divorce.
Legal experts said the law means judges can take into consideration factors like who walks, feeds and plays with the pet when deciding who the animal should live with.
“Before it was an issue of who owns the dog and how you distribute the property,” Favre said. “But pets aren’t quite the same thing as china and sofas. They’re more like children, in that they’re living beings who have their own preferences.”
And as with children, he said, divorce can be “a trauma for animals as well.”
The law doesn’t just apply to dogs — it defines “pet” as “any animal that is community property and kept as a household pet.”
New California divorce law: Treat pets like people — not property to be divided up
This is an attention grabbing premise, but the law is about treating people better, not pets. Given the terrible incentives embedded in family law, I suppose we should be welcoming any improvement.