If you are a pet owner who is getting divorced, you probably love your pet just as you would a human family member. Understandably, you may be worried about who will keep the pet after your divorce. As with other property division concerns, you and your spouse have the option of reaching your own agreement about the ownership of pets. However, if you cannot reach a decision, the court may step in and make a decision for you. A skilled divorce lawyer can help you understand your rights regarding pet ownership in a divorce.
When a Pet Could Be Considered Marital or Nonmarital Property
In Illinois courts, pets are treated differently than homes and other property in a divorce. A law established in 2018 requires pets to be treated similarly to children during divorce. The court can award sole or joint custody based on the best interests of the animal.
The first step in determining who gets a pet in a divorce is figuring out if the animal is marital or nonmarital property. If you or your spouse owned the pet before you got married, it is probably considered non-marital property. Therefore, the judge would generally award custody to the spouse who owned the animal before the marriage. However, there may be exceptions to this rule. If the pet was acquired during your marriage, it is most likely considered marital property.
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