Are you a pet owner going through a separation? Worried who keeps the pet after the divorce? Important changes have come to the BC Family Law Act you’ll want to know.

As of January 15, 2024, pets are no longer considered “property” under the BC Family Law Act.

These changes recognize that pets are an important part of many families.

If you and your spouse can not agree on who will keep your pet, the court will no longer simply award the spouse who purchased or adopted the pet.

if your case needs to be decided by a judge, the judge cannot make an order that your time with the pet be split. Under the new rule, the Judge can only decide that the pet be placed with one person.

The goal of these changes is to make family law proceedings less stressful for everyone involved, especially children.

Want to know more? Contact one of our family lawyers for a consultation.