Divvying up your CD collection and bickering over who gets to take The Hunger Games book collection is small fry in a break-up when there are pets involved.
How on earth do you decide what to do with Rover? Who gets custody?
It’s a huge and heartbreaking issue and one, thankfully, I’ve never had to face when I’ve been through a split.
And, about 10 percent of the 7.6 million animals who end up in shelters in the US alone each year is because of death or divorce, according to the ASPCA and the American Humane Association.
How much does that SUCK?
Especially if you want to keep your pet but are forced to move to accommodation that doesn’t allow animals?
It’s something celebrities regularly spend big bucks on in court – Jake Gyllenhaal and Kirsten Dunst and Drew Barrymore and Tom Green are just two celebrity ex-couples who reportedly bickered over who’d take custody of their beloved dogs.
Have you had to give up a fur baby of your own following a break-up? Did you fall in love with a partner’s pet and find yourself out in the cold and no longer able to see the pet after a split? Or, on the flip side, have you and your ex managed to successfully do joint custody of your beloved pets or hammer out an agreement with visitation rights?
I’d love to hear your stories in the comments and I’m sure other LTME readers would too.
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4 Comments
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My ex-fiancée & I had three dogs, there were all rescues, I did all of the training and day to day care. When we split she kept them, I fought my hardest & I eventually got custody of one of them but that was only down to the fact that she only listened to me. it has been 5 months since our split and she has not let me see the other two & it’s broken my heart, but like her, I have to let them go.
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Author
I’m so sorry to hear that Rob. That must be really hard to bear. I hope things change with you guys and she reconsiders because it sounds like it could only be a good thing for the animals you once shared too.
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My ex got custody of my Boston terrier that was a birthday and Christmas present , in 2011 , she also got our other boston terrier and our two cats. I moved out the friday night after she got home from another drunken party at her place of work and was told that she doesnt love me anymore after 9 years of being together .I miss my little family still after 6 months being apart.Only saw them once or twice after that day , It started out amicable her saying that i could come and fetch them and take them for walks but that only lasted a a month and then she completely stopped communicating , and said that i cant see the animals as it would unsettle them. Extremely difficult to let go of everything you have know for a quarter of your life.Still struggle with it daily, going home to a empty house is soul sucking.
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I can only imagine how tough that must be Jason. Hope you’re doing ok. 🙁
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