Whose Dog is it Anyway? A Guide to Dog Ownership in a Relationship

When a couple moves in together or gets married they are busy combining two households into one, picking out new dishes or arguing over what color to paint the living room. Chances are the last thing on their mind is outlining an ownership agreement of their dog; however, it can be very important to outline who’s dog the dog will be in the event of a split.

If there are two dogs belonging to two different people then the situation is more clear cut; however, if one member of the couple owns the dog prior to the relationship they need to protect their rights as the dog’s owner. Another situation to consider is if the couple gets a dog together during the course of the cohabitating relationship.

Couples must agree on who owns the dog, who will take responsibility for daily walks and feedings and perhaps most importantly, who bears the financial responsibility for caretaking. These situations are not always clearly defined between partners in attempts to avoid awkward conversations, but they should be to make things easier in the event of a split. If possible the couple should consider drawing up a contract to outline these details to avoid hurt feelings later.

The person owning the dog, caring for the dog and providing financial support for the dog are not always the same person. Responsibilities are often shared and this is where the dispute can sometimes arise. People often feel like they put effort into raising the dog and are left in the cold when the split arises. If you already have a dog when you go into a relationship you need to make it clear that the dog will be yours when the relationship ends. This often means that you will need to provide the financial support in addition to being the primary caregiver. If you expect that this will be the case you need to make sure that your name is on the Veterinary records and you will need to take responsibility for registering your dog in your name with the County Animal Control office.

If you elect to get a dog while in the relationship you will need to make sure to specify who will take ownership and responsibility. If the dog belongs to both and other responsibilities are split then there will likely be a custody dispute at the end of the relationship. The cost of owning a dog can also become a burden and splitting the expense of the dog bed, hidden fence and other pet supplies is highly recommended to keep things fair. This is fine if you are prepared to set aside your differences to create an amicable custody arrangement if necessary. Dog custody arrangements are on the rise in a society in love with their dogs and have become common place amongst divorcing or separating couples. This arrangement can have benefits and drawbacks; however, it should be discussed upon getting the dog rather than waiting for the separation to occur.

Regardless of your situation an agreement can and should be discussed sooner rather than later to avoid inaccurate assumptions on the part of either member of the couple. One member of the couple could feel that because they buy the dog food and pay for the Veterinary visits they are the entitled owner. On the other hand, the other partner could feel that because they do the daily walking, and feeding that they are the entitled owner. Both sides have a good argument so it is best to discuss before hand to prevent unnecessary hard feelings during a difficult time. In the end your dog could be lucky enough to have two caring parents and the best of both worlds, but this will likely not be the case when resentments are involved.