TulsaPets Magazine January 2021

38 TulsaPets • January/February 2021 Smith, partner at Ball Morris Lowe in Oklaho- ma. “As property, it’s left for the judge to simply determine who to award the dog to, but it’s rare- ly that simple. Property is divided either 50/50 or based on an equitable division in most states, and it typically looks like a business transaction in which partners are splitting up the business equally. Pets can become a contentious issue when both parties want the pet or neither party wants the pet.” If you have more than one pet, don’t assume they will be treated like children and kept together. Just like two 70-inch televisions, the judge is more likely to split pets up if the parties can’t agree on who’s getting what, said Smith. Visitation Rights and Cost Matt Eckstein, a Norman attorney, has rarely had to deal with pet custody during his 20-plus years of practicing law. He said in most of his cases the pet stays with the person who keeps the house. “I did have a divorce where we set up visita- tion rights for an expensive Bulldog,” he said. “That was kind of cute. But even though you can do visitation rights, I’m not sure if that can be enforced.” Most couples are amicable when it comes to the wellness of the pets. Jennifer McClintock and her ex-husband were one Oklahoma City couple that reached amicable custody arrangements after the divorce. “We are lucky, and both of us felt it import- ant to put the dogs and their care first,” she said. “One of the dogs stays with me permanently because she has Cushing’s disease, which causes excess urination, so it’s best she be in a house with tile floors.” McClintock and her ex wanted the least traumatizing experience for their two older dogs. They share custody of 14-year-old Sophie and Lily, both of whom were adopted. “When we divorced, we decided to share cus- tody. Since we didn’t have any children, the dogs were our de facto ‘kids,’” she said. “We share vet expenses and take care of the animals when one of us wants to go on an out-of-town trip. For us, it’s worked out great, but I know that’s not always the case.” Eckstein said the problem with divorces is that they can become nasty and hateful, but that hate doesn’t extend often to the family pet. “Someone is usually more bonded with the animal, but couples need to make sure whoever gets the pet does it for the right reasons,” he said. “In a divorce, people sometimes just want to ‘win.’ But winning a couch is different from winning something that is a living, breathing creature.” FEBRUARY Dental Special 15% Off All Dentals MARCH Spay/Neuter Special 10% Off All Spays/Neuters 104 N Gilcrease MuseumRd | Tulsa, OK 74127 | 918-585-9369 www.pawsitiveveterinarycare.us Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 5:30 pm | Sat 8 -11 am Jennifer Anderson, D.V.M.