New York Divorce Report - New York's Divorce and Family Law Blog

I previously wrote about custody of dogs in divorce actions. Now, there is a trend to issue orders of protection in favor of pets. The New York Times reported that in one case in Connecticut, a golden retriever was granted an order of protection against one half of a divorcing couple. As the police tell it, Cassandra Reynolds pulled up in the driveway of her ex-husband’s home in South Windsor to pick up a few belongings. A dispute ensued. Her ex-husband’s golden retriever approached her, so she kicked it, the police said. The dog yelped. Ms. Reynolds was arrested. That... More

When a childless couple divorces there is generally no issue of custody, except when there is a dispute about who will get custody of the four legged family members. The ABA Journal E Report features a case in which a lawyer was appointed as guardian ad litem for a dog in a contested custody dispute. This report lead a columnist for the Times and Democrat to imagine the negotiation for custody of a dog in a divorce: There would be many issues to discuss: Who will get primary custody and who will get visitation rights? Is joint custody a possibility?... More