More Couples Are Signing “Pet Prenups” Before Marriage


Any couple that has ever gotten married before is already well aware of the importance of a prenuptial agreement. These agreements are designed to let both members of a couple safeguard their assets if a divorce were to take place. This is obviously not any couple’s goal but it never hurts to be prepared. Now, couples are taking these agreements to a whole new level.

Gone are the days of having to decide who would take the pets when a divorce takes place. Forward thinking couples are now taking the initiative to put a stop to these types of issues before they even have a chance to start. Pets are now being included as part of the prenuptial agreement. This is a wise choice for many, as there are no shortage of couples who find themselves arguing over such concerns.

These savvy couples are tired of hearing the horror stories. It seems like everyone has a friend or loved one who has lost access to a beloved pet because of a relationship dispute. We commend these couples for taking the time to avoid such problems. It may be odd to some to include pets in these sorts of contracts but it looks very smart from where we are sitting.

“The dog or the cat or the family pet becomes like a child,” attorney Eric Meredith told USA Today.

There is no reason to wait for a split before deciding how these sorts of things are going to work. It is smart for couples to decide on a plan of action, so that there is no confusion later on. It is good for the pets to know where they stand, too. If they are going to be living with Mom or Dad once the divorce happens, they should probably know soon.

We kid, we kid. But when it comes to sorting out plans for the future? There is no reason to joke about that. In some instances, it is more difficult for the couple to decide on dog custody than anything else. A couple that has no problems with splitting up all of the rest of their marital assets will often struggle to decide on dog ownership.

We commend couples for taking this step and hope that these types of agreements become the norm, as opposed to an exception. It only makes sense, especially in a world where more and more couples are opting out of having actual children to raise their fur babies. Please be sure to pass this one along!

There are even free online versions for couples to easily sort out their plans for the future.


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