JUNEAU, Alaska. — The state of Alaska is the first in the country to revise divorce statutes to address family pet custody. The changes empower judges to consider the well-being of a pet and award custody as appropriate. Additionally, court decisions will now dictate visitation rights and monetary support.
The change also provides for pets to be considered in domestic violence cases and require pet owners to pay the cost of shelter if the animal is seized.
Legal experts say this could be a growing trend in the nation.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund calls the move, “groundbreaking and unique.”
