How can I legally get owndership of a dog that I have a shared custody pet agreement won?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
How can I legally get owndership of a dog that I have a shared custody pet agreement won?
During my divorce, we signed a pet agreement stating 50/50 ownership of our Dog A and shared custody. She adopted a new Dog B after our separation but before the divorce, and her daughter adopted a new Dog C after the divorce. The 3 dogs do not get along and Dog A has sustained many wounds from the fighting, including an a claw that had to be amputated, several deep scratches on her head and body, and now she’s missing the tip of one of her ears. The 3 dogs spend a lot of time in crates while my ex-wife and stepdaughter work. I have no other dogs, bring Dog A to work with me every day, give her 2 long walks a day, and rarely leave her by herself. My ex-wife refuses to admit she is fostering a dangerous environment or that I provide a better quality of life for Dog A. I courts treat animals as property, but is there any legal recourse I can take to get full custody?
Asked on August 30, 2018 under Family Law, New Jersey
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
It sounds as if you need to speak with an attorney about setting aside the agreement and looking to the agreement and the case law in your state will be the key. It is true: dogs are considered personal property but cruelty to an animal is regulated in every state. See if that avenue can be a help as well. If you can document the abuse maybe you can ask the court to set aside the agreement and award you full custody. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.