Many clients going through a divorce find that one of the biggest challenges is determining the living arrangements for their pets, and some judges refuse to hear pet related disputes. As such, pet mediators have become a small but growing legal area. Pet mediators typically charge around $250.00 an hour, and can help a divorcing couple determine a pet’s living arrangements or develop a compromise between neighbors over a loud dog. Individuals struggling with a dispute involving an animal who would like to avoid litigation should look for a state-certified mediator to help resolve the issue. The parties involved typically split the mediation fees and both parties have the opportunity to express their feelings on the subject at issue.
For more information on pet mediators, see Veronica Dagher, A Dog’s Bark Is Better Than Litigation’s Bite, The Wall Street Journal, Apr. 30, 2012.
Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.
