Maine has passed without the Governor’s signature a measure to provide for the care of companion animals in a divorce. The law directs a judge to award “ownership” of the animal to one party only based on a variety of factors. Those factors include: the well-being of the animal; the amount of time each party has spent with the animal during the marriage; the emotional attachment to the animal; potential benefits of the animal remaining in the primary residence of a child; and any history of domestic abuse, animal abuse, or other unsafe conditions for the animal.
Key terms: companion animals, family law