English Man Ordered to Pay Support for Pets...

A British Court has ordered a banker to pay his ex-wife a yearly "maintenance" for her three horses. She was also awarded a lump sum to buy an new home with enough land for the horses to graze.

Before you start thinking this is crazy, you need to hear more about this couple's background. The couple, married for 11 years, was childless and after the wife tragically lost a baby in 2001, her husband bought her a horse. She also purchased two more horses with her own inheritance. She feels that these horses are like children. A talented rider, the horses were a major part of the couple's lives while they were married.

I think the wife has every right to be able to care for her horses after the divorce. Why should she have to give them up when the horses were part of both her and her husband's lives? The husband argued that there horses were now an "unjustified extravagance". Yet he cared for and supported these animals during the marriage.

As an animal lover, I can relate to this woman's deep love for her horses. Many people consider their pets to be members of the family. To have to give up a pet because of a divorce would be tragic. I am not sure what the ruling would have been here in the United States with a similar case. Unfortunately, pets are considered "property" in most states. The bottom line is that if you adopt a pet you are responsible for that pet's care. Divorce should not relieve you of those responsibilities.

Canine Custody: Who Gets The Dog?

Going through a divorce is difficult enough with pressing issues like dividing the assets and child custody, but for some couples, especially those who do not have human children, custody of the dog or dogs becomes a problem.

When a couple has children, the pets usually stay with the spouse who retains custody of the kids. It would be traumatic and heartbreaking to rip away a child's pet during his or her parent's divorce. But when there are no children, and both spouses consider the dog to be the "child", things can get heated and nasty. A canine custody battle can ensue.

There is a new book that addresses this problem and aims to guide divorcing couples through the difficult process of canine custody. Jennifer Keene is the author of We Can't Stay Together for the Dogs: Doing What's Best For Your Dog when Your Relationship Breaks.

Here are some tips to working out custody of your dog during a divorce:

1. Put your dog first. It is important to put aside your own needs and think of what is best for your dog. Consider his age, temperament health and tolerance for change.

2. Be fair. Working out an arrangement where you and your ex can share custody of the dog will take hard work and require you both put your emotions aside.

3. Don't fight in front of the dog. Dogs, like kids, sense negative energy and are affected by their owners lashing out at one another. Your goal should be to keep your dog's routine and surroundings as familiar as possible and make sure he feels safe and loved.

Your dog has given you unconditional love and has been there for you through the best and worst times. You owe it to him to do what is best and keep him happy, despite your changing circumstances. Try to work with your spouse to ensure that you both get quality time with the dog after the divorce and do it the most amicable way possible.