Charity and divorce lawyers launch world’s first ‘Pet Nup’

Blue Cross is today launching the Pet Nup – the world’s first pre-nuptial agreement with pet welfare at its heart.

While people often worry what would happen to their wealth in the event of a split, a recent report revealed one in four divorced couples has argued over pets.
Relationship breakdown has led to almost a thousand pets being brought to Blue Cross rehoming centres over the past five years – an average of four a week.

Our research found that arguing over pets makes the emotional turmoil of break-ups even more difficult to cope with, so Blue Cross created the Pet Nup, in partnership with divorce lawyers from Lloyd Platt and Company, to try to put a stop to heartache felt by pets and owners alike.

Vanessa Lloyd Platt from Lloyd Platt and Company, said: “Just as with the house, the car and the gadgets, it makes sense to agree right at the outset who gets ownership of the horse or the chinchilla in the event of a relationship breakdown or divorce.”

The top five biggest bones of contention for separated couples are:

1. The number of walks per day (41%)
2. Frequency of grooming (34%)
3. Vet check-ups (25%)
4. How long pets should be left alone (24%)
5. Holidays (17%)

Alyson Jones, Rehoming Manager at Blue Cross, says parting with a pet is difficult for everyone involved:

“One partner will sometimes bring a pet to us for rehoming without the other’s knowledge.

“Our pets are not just material goods; they are often at the heart of our lives, so it is a good idea to agree on your pet’s future in advance to make a difficult situation easier.”

Download the free Blue Cross Pet Nup here.

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This article first appeared on the Blue Cross website.