Pets don’t sign marriage licenses, but when relationships break apart, they end up in the crossfire nonetheless. A new survey found that 81 percent of U.S. pet owners see their animals as children or family members, which makes splitting up with a shared pet far more emotional than deciding who gets the couch.
Conducted by MetLife Pet Insurance, the survey found that roughly 29 percent of pet owners said they’ve gone through a breakup while sharing a pet. Of those, 60 percent kept the animal, 32 percent said their ex did, and just six percent chose shared custody. Only two percent gave the pet away entirely.
One in five couples said pet expenses sparked more arguments than eating out, and 13 percent admitted they argue about pet costs on a regular basis.
That tension is why almost half of pet owners now say they’d sign a “pet prenup.” These agreements spell out who keeps the animal, who pays for what, and how emergencies get handled.
Divorce lawyers say pet custody is one of the most volatile parts of modern breakups. One told Business Insider that people “will fight more about a pet than over money.”
The survey also found that 88 percent of pet owners want a pet prenup to specify custody after a breakup. Another 70 percent want visitation schedules, 67 percent want rules for handling vet and emergency costs, and 57 percent want to divide routine expenses like food or toys. Some even want agreements on training, lifestyle decisions, and who introduces the pet to a new partner first.
Financial imbalance often adds fuel to the fire. Over half of couples said one person pays most of the pet bills, about $100 more each month on average. Fourteen percent admitted they’ve secretly covered pet costs to avoid a fight, and two-thirds admitted they don’t have emergency funds for vet care at all.
Legally, pets are still property, but emotionally, they’re dependents. Courts are starting to recognize that distinction, especially in states like California, where judges can consider an animal’s best interest in custody disputes.
The idea sounds clinical, yet it’s actually an act of care. Setting rules before things go south keeps people honest and pets protected. The breakup can get ugly, but the dog still needs dinner, the cat still needs a vet, and someone still has to show up.
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