When you and your partner break up, it can be very stressful. Many people might think that your split should be easier if you and your partner don't have children and instead just have pets. However, trying to arrange custody of your pet can be very stressful and emotional as well. If you and your partner do have a pet that you both want, what should you do? One thing you can do is to hire a lawyer who specializes in pet-custody matters to make sure that you get your beloved pet. 

Pet Custody

Pet custody is different than child custody, even though there are a few similarities. The main difference is that in most states, pets are considered property. That means that a different set of laws and practices cover the way that your lawyer will have to proceed. Your lawyer is going to need to have a few things from you to help you get and keep custody of your pet.

Proof of Ownership

One thing that your lawyer is going to want is proof of ownership. There are several things that you can use to prove that you are the primary owner of your pet. They include a signed adoption record from a shelter or pet adoption service, a receipt in your name to a breeder, or an affidavit from the person who gave you your pet. If you have pictures or proof that you owned the pet before the relationship started, you should give those to your lawyer as well, since that would likely end the proceedings. If you don't have proof that you were the one in the relationship that chose to get the pet, there are other things that you can do to fight for custody. 

Primary Caregiver

If you can prove that you were the one who was the primary caregiver for your pet, then you may have a good case for custody. There are several things that you can do that will help to prove that. If your pet is a dog, you can get neighbors or friends who saw you being the one who always took the dog for a walk to testify to that. You can also get information from your vet's office that shows that you were the one who always took in the pet for their care. 

If you want to keep custody of your pet, and you and your former partner can't agree on anything, you can get a lawyer who can help you come up with a legal agreement so that you can have custody of your pet.