it is now a law in california that your pets are members of your family

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A measure to protect the rights of dogs in a divorce became a California law January 1^st,, 2019. Other pets, including cats and horses, are included in this protection of their rights.  88% of the pets included in a divorce dispute are dogs, with the Judge now responsible for determining what is best for the animal, just like children.

The law “makes clear that courts must view pet ownership differently than the ownership of a car, for example. By providing clearer direction, courts will award custody on what is best for the animal,” dog owner and state Assembly member Bill Quirk (author of the bill) said after the bill was signed. “To treat a pet as property made no sense to me,” Quirk told NBC News. “We’ve actually had judges who said you can sell the dog and split the proceeds.”