Whether or not you can get your pet in the divorce depends on a variety of factors, and also where your divorce is processed. The modern trend in the courts is to treat pets as members of your family and to consider things like the best interests of your pet, the best interests of your family members in terms of custody and interaction with the pet, and the most appropriate home setting for the animal. If you are going through a divorce in the state of Florida, however, this is not the case.
Read on to learn how you might get your pet in Florida and how a St. Augustine family law attorney can help.
While you might think that your pet, a central member of many families, will be treated by the courts similar to a child, this is not how it works in Florida. In Florida, the classic view of animals being a piece of property is still followed by the law and the courts, so the value of the pet is something that will be accounted for in the equitable distribution of your property and assets, and a pet will be distributed in the context of all of your property. This is true if the court makes the decision on property division.
However, an informed and experienced attorney can help you negotiate with the other party to the divorce out of court so you can try to decide together what happens to your pet. You can determine what is in your pet’s best interests and come to a divorce agreement that supports this out of court.
Connect one of our St. Augustine family law attorneys at Naples and Spence to schedule a consultation today to discuss your case and how you might gain custody of your pet in the divorce.
