By Stace Keane
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Who gets the dog when a relationship is over?
State Representative David Friess says the state’s new pet custody law could burden already busy courts by allowing judges to decide on ownership disputes over pets between unmarried couples.
The Companion Animal Custody Equity Act allows courts to consider a companion animal’s well-being and caregiving history when deciding ownership disputes between unmarried couples, rather than treating pets strictly as personal property.
Friess questioned how judges would weigh factors such as a pet’s caregiving history and suggested cases could require expert testimony about what is in the animal’s best interest…
Friess told The Center Square that his advice is not to purchase property together if you’re not married.
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