Deciding to adopt a pet together is an exciting time for a couple. Adding a new family member, however, can create uncertainty in unmarried couples. In the Fluffy series, we discuss the questions that pet parents might face before getting married. Co-parenting a pet is common. And while no one wants to expect to break up, pet custody plans can prevent a lot of unnecessary heartaches and fights down the road.
Consider Jack and Jill. Jack and Jill, unmarried but in love, are looking forward to a future together. They decide to take the next step in their relationship and adopt a puppy from their local shelter, Fluffy. Jill has a close friend who recently broke up with her boyfriend and fought for months to get their cat, Milo, back. Although Jill hopes that she and Jack will stay together, seeing her friend fight over Milo inspires Jill to talk to Jack about a pet custody plan for Fluffy.
Pet custody plans should include all aspect of a pet’s care in the even that a couple splits up. As a legally binding contract, these documents can be simple or complex, ranging from clear statements that one person exclusively owns Fluffy to creating visitation arrangements. These plans can be revised by the couple as the relationship continues in order to best reflect the responsibilities that each person feels that they can take on. Aspects a pet custody plan should consider are:
- Primary guardianship – While a couple can agree to share a pet post-breakup, this is generally unadvisable for both emotional and practical purposes
- Visitation – Similar concerns arise with a frequent visitation schedule for the same reasons
- Veterinary and Basic Care – Will the primary guardian be responsible for these costs or will the couple work out a different agreement?
- Pet Insurance – Is this something that the couple finds to be necessary?
- Abandonment or Relinquishment – What will happen if the primary guardian needs to rehome Fluffy?
- Pet identification – Does the microchip or license information need to be updated?
- Death – Does the non-guardian want to be notified when Fluffy is nearing the end of her life? Is it important that the non-guardian be with Fluffy during euthanasia?
For Jack and Jill, they decided that a simple agreement was best – if they broke up, which they both hoped they wouldn’t, Jack would become the sole guardian over Fluffy, but would tell Jill if Fluffy were facing any life-threatening illnesses or nearing the end of her life.
While it may be unpleasant to discuss the fact that a relationship may fail, creating a safety net for your pet while both pet parents are thinking clearly is a win-win for both your pet and yourself. If you are interested in creating a pet custody arrangement, reach out to us to set up a consultation.
This post is a follow up to the post “Who Gets Fluffy When We Break Up?” This post is entirely based on a fictional circumstance. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.