A pet can be a wonderful addition to any family, but things can get complicated if pet parents choose to go their separate ways. Whether you entered the relationship with a pet or welcomed a pet together with your partner, deciding how your new family dynamic changes might call for some assistance. To make it easier for pet parents to ensure their pets maintain the same level of care in the event of a split, Rover has created a PrePup checklist to help get the conversation started.
To determine the challenges that come with joint pet parenting, Rover surveyed 1,000 pet parents who are in relationships, engaged, or married. The findings show that almost half (49%) of pet parents currently share a pet with their romantic partner, but only 28% of co-pet parents have an official pet care agreement–such as a pet prenup–that outlines what should happen to their pet if the relationship ends.
There’s hope yet for our canine and feline family members, as many couples are looking to include their pets in long term family planning. In fact, the majority (84%) of pet parents support the idea of proactively deciding the fate of their pets should the relationship end.
The PrePup Checklist
By planning ahead, pet parents can ensure that no matter what happens in their relationship, their pet can still have a happy and healthy home life. This also applies to partners who enter pet parenthood together, since 56% of pet parents say they’ve never discussed who their pet would live with in the event of a breakup.
In fact, only 6% of pet parents have agreed to make a pet care plan with their partner in the future. Philip Tedeschi, professor and researcher on the human-animal bond and a member of Rover’s Pet People Panel, thinks that number needs to be higher.
“Unfortunately, because pets are considered ‘property’ in the eyes of the law, they must be protected as such. I’m a strong proponent of a written agreement like this—not only does it put the couple in a position of clarity, but it protects the animal in the event the human relationship comes to an end. We must control what we can in the situation, and in this case it is protecting our pets from conflict or disturbance, from sudden change of routine or abrupt loss of familiar settings. Pets are a huge part of developing committed relationships and teach us so much about ourselves and our partners. A pet care agreement serves as a commitment to co-parenting in healthy ways, ultimately elevating animal well-being in the long run.” – Philip Tedeschi
With a shared agreement, pet parents can proactively make mutual decisions that protect and prioritize a pet’s overall wellbeing in the event of a breakup or divorce. The agreement should include details like custody arrangements and how pet-related costs will be managed, with the goal of providing peace of mind when it comes to the care of canine and feline family members.
Agreeing on a responsible, third-party pet caregiver for when you’re both away is also a good idea. In fact, more than half (62%) of those surveyed said they would consider including their pet sitter in the document to ensure long-term care of their pet regardless of their living arrangements.
After all, almost half (49%) of pet parents agree that the most beneficial part of a pet care agreement is acknowledging that pets are part of the family and should be seen as such no matter what happens in the relationship. Rover’s PrePup Checklist serves as a reminder of that.
Beyond providing loving pet care when and where you need it, Rover is always looking for ways to celebrate the unique bond between people and pets by providing solutions to modern day pet parents that keep the well-being of pets top of mind.
Click the thumbnail below for the printable version of Rover’s first-ever PrePup Checklist.
*The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available as part of this article are for general informational purposes only. Information in this article may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. Readers should contact their attorneys as necessary to obtain legal advice with respect to any particular legal matter that may be referenced in this article.
