During a break-up, sometimes couples can fight over the family pets and Montreal’s SPCA wants there to be guidelines for pet custody.
Since 2015, the civil code of Quebec recognizes animals as sentient beings except in cases of divorce, says Sophie Gaillard, the director of animal advocacy and legal affairs at the Montreal SPCA.
“In family law matters, we continue to treat animals as things. Just like any other piece of property that has to be split up between the spouses. So, the court will make a decision not taking into account the animal’s welfare,” says Gaillard.
She adds that 50 per cent of Quebec households have a pet, and during separation whomever acquired the pet would be the owner.
“As a lawyer working at the SPCA, this is the kind of call I get very frequently by people who are in the midst of a separation and suddenly realize, …