Divorcing couples who are also pet owners have unique concerns about what happens to their beloved friend once their marriage ends. In the not-so-distant past, pets were seen as the property of one or the other spouse, and “ownership” of the pet was granted based on a number of factors by the court.

Increasingly, New York couples are rejecting the traditional view of pets as property and are instead looking to alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, to develop a custody arrangement that is in the best interest of their pet. By choosing mediation, pet owners can avoid the stress and high cost of traditional litigation, while ensuring that their pet continues to receive the love and care it needs.

Benefits of mediation for pet custody

Utilizing mediation to determine pet custody has several benefits:

• It allows you to maintain an ongoing relationship with your pet through visitation and/or shared custody
• Traditional litigation can be costly, time-consuming, and adversarial; mediation, however, is efficient, affordable, and solution-oriented
• Major changes in the household bring stress to your pets; ease the transition by mediating an arrangement that ensures your pet’s maximum adaptability

Tips on pet custody mediation

When preparing to mediate your pet’s custody, keep in mind that the goal is to find an arrangement that is in the best interest of your pet.

Similar to cases involving child custody, there are several factors that should be considered when mediating your arrangement:

• The schedules of both owners
• Financial standing of each spouse
• Cost of daily needs
• Responsible party for veterinarian expenses
• Transportation
• Location of each home and whether any restrictions apply regarding having a pet on the premises

Discover how our mediation services can help your pet

At the Law Offices of Stacy Sabatini, Esq., we understand that your pet is more than just property. We help divorcing New York couples use mediation to develop a pet care arrangement that is in the best interest of your pet. If you are interested in finding out more about how we can help you mediate the custody of your pet, please contact us online at www.sskfamilylaw.com for a consultation today. Conveniently located in New City, New York, the Law Offices of Stacy Sabatini, Esq. offer New York residents of Rockland and Westchester counties compassionate and competent legal representation for their family law mediation needs.