Pet lovers will be dismayed to learn their beloved furry friends are considered
property in the eyes of the state of Florida. If you are currently in the midst
of or approaching a divorce, you may be wondering what will happen to
your pets following the dissolution of your marriage. This is a valid
concern, as any pet owner knows, our pets are far more than just property--they
are a valued part of our family.
Even if you love your pet like you love your children, Florida law requires
they be distributed like property. What this means in your situation will
depend on the details of your ownership. If you owned your pet prior to
the marriage, or inherited or received your pet as a gift even during
the marriage, you will have priority right to keep your pet as your own.
This will mean you will have to prove your pet is a non-marital asset,
thus your ex-spouse will not be able to claim him or her as their own.
However, if you cannot prove your pet is a non-marital asset, you may have
to negotiate with your ex on who gets to keep the pet, and this can include
a shared schedule. If your ex-spouse is unwilling to budge, you will unfortunately
have to leave your pet’s fate up to a judge, who will order to have
your furry friend be distributed as any other property.
Contact Our Daytona Beach Divorce Lawyers Today
At Law Offices of Robert Stepniak, we feel our pets are part of our family, and we
know you do too. Wondering what may happen to your pets because of a
divorce is a legitimate worry many have, and our Daytona Beach divorce lawyers
want to help ensure you are not left with an unfair agreement. We are
experienced in the field of family law and will apply our years of education
and practice to your case, so you can rest assured you are in the right
hands. Divorce is difficult enough without losing access to your best
and most loyal friend--we will do everything in our power so this never happens.
Contact our office today by calling us at (386) 253-4750.