In the United States, the law views domestic animals, or pets, as property when married people legally separate. Now, American courts are seeing new ways of deciding custody of the family pet. Special negotiators are being employed to argue for pet “parents.” Some couples are even signing contracts before they marry about pet ownership if the marriage ends. These so-called “petnups” are designed to avoid possible courtroom disputes in the future. Petnup is a play on the word “prenup.” Prenup is short for “prenuptial,” a contract that some couples seek before marriage. Prenups usually deal with property rights. Several pet owners and lawyers recently talked to the Associated Press. In some U.S. states laws permit judges to decide pet custody based on the best interest of the animal under consideration. New York lawmakers are considering such a bill. New York State Senator James Skoufis is the main supporter of the New York measure. He also has a cat named Ruth, for the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Skoufis spoke to the Associated Press about the proposed legislation. “Someone’s cat or someone’s dog is a part of their family and should not be treated like a piece of furniture…,” he said. Adam Citron is a New York divorce lawyer. He says pet custody is always a difficult issue. So, he supports prenups that include pets. A petnup can be especially helpful when people get animals during the marriage. He added that pet custody is far more emotional and difficult to settle than ownership over a set of dishes or a car. In states without these laws, Citron suggests this: Before a couple gets an animal, they should decide whose name will appear alone on registration or ownership papers. That person should pay any costs linked to the pet with their own money. Some negotiators say they work to solve pet disputes through shared custody. Others say that that is not always best for the animal, especially dogs. Dogs are most often at the center of pet custody disputes.
Title: What Happens to Pets When Couples Break Up
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/B.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='What Happens to Pets When Couples Break Up' data-article-id='5799'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='11833'>In the United States, the law views domestic animals, or pets, as property when married people legally separate.</span> <span data-start-time='11833' data-end-time='20229'>Now, American courts are seeing new ways of deciding custody of the family pet. </span> <span data-start-time='20229' data-end-time='28000'>Special negotiators are being employed to argue for pet “parents.” </span> <span data-start-time='28000' data-end-time='38063'>Some couples are even signing contracts before they marry about pet ownership if the marriage ends. </span> <span data-start-time='38063' data-end-time='46979'>These so-called “petnups” are designed to avoid possible courtroom disputes in the future.</span> <span data-start-time='46979' data-end-time='51396'>Petnup is a play on the word “prenup.” </span> <span data-start-time='51396' data-end-time='60417'>Prenup is short for “prenuptial,” a contract that some couples seek before marriage. </span> <span data-start-time='60417' data-end-time='65271'>Prenups usually deal with property rights.</span> <span data-start-time='65271' data-end-time='72083'>Several pet owners and lawyers recently talked to the Associated Press.</span> <span data-start-time='72083' data-end-time='84000'>In some U.S. states laws permit judges to decide pet custody based on the best interest of the animal under consideration.</span> <span data-start-time='84000' data-end-time='89208'>New York lawmakers are considering such a bill. </span> <span data-start-time='89208' data-end-time='96646'>New York State Senator James Skoufis is the main supporter of the New York measure. </span> <span data-start-time='96646' data-end-time='103354'>He also has a cat named Ruth, for the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.</span> <span data-start-time='103354' data-end-time='109896'>Skoufis spoke to the Associated Press about the proposed legislation.</span> <span data-start-time='109896' data-end-time='120667'>“Someone’s cat or someone’s dog is a part of their family and should not be treated like a piece of furniture…,” he said.</span> <span data-start-time='120667' data-end-time='126500'>Adam Citron is a New York divorce lawyer. </span> <span data-start-time='126500' data-end-time='131438'>He says pet custody is always a difficult issue. </span> <span data-start-time='131438' data-end-time='136021'>So, he supports prenups that include pets. </span> <span data-start-time='136021' data-end-time='144167'>A petnup can be especially helpful when people get animals during the marriage.</span> <span data-start-time='144167' data-end-time='155563'>He added that pet custody is far more emotional and difficult to settle than ownership over a set of dishes or a car. </span> <span data-start-time='155563' data-end-time='161563'>In states without these laws, Citron suggests this: </span> <span data-start-time='161563' data-end-time='172875'>Before a couple gets an animal, they should decide whose name will appear alone on registration or ownership papers. </span> <span data-start-time='172875' data-end-time='179688'>That person should pay any costs linked to the pet with their own money.</span> <span data-start-time='179688' data-end-time='187375'>Some negotiators say they work to solve pet disputes through shared custody. </span> <span data-start-time='187375' data-end-time='194250'>Others say that that is not always best for the animal, especially dogs. </span> <span data-start-time='194250' data-end-time='200354'>Dogs are most often at the center of pet custody disputes.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/B.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17833 data-hint-location='11833' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/what_is_custody.wav'>What is custody?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='the protective care or guardianship of someone or something'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/a_type_of_british_dessert.wav'><span>a type of British dessert</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/a_traditional_and_widely_accepted_way_of_behaving.wav'><span>a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/the_protective_care_or_guardianship_of_someone_or_something.wav'><span>the protective care or guardianship of someone or something</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/a_pungenttasting_yellow_or_brown_paste_made_from_the_crushed_seeds_of_certain_plants_typically_eaten_with_meat_or_used_as_a_cooking_ingredient.wav'><span>a pungent-tasting yellow or brown paste made from the crushed seeds of certain plants, typically eaten with meat or used as a cooking ingredient</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17834 data-hint-location='46979' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/what_is_petnup_a_play_on.wav'>What is petnup a play on?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='prenup'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/ketchup.wav'><span>ketchup</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/prenup.wav'><span>prenup</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/peanut.wav'><span>peanut</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/leadoff.wav'><span>leadoff</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17835 data-hint-location='172875' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/that_person_should_pay_any_costs_linked_to_the_pet_with_their_own__blank_.wav'>That person should pay any costs linked to the pet with their own <span class='blank'>money</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='money'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/snacks.wav'><span>snacks</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/locker.wav'><span>locker</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/money.wav'><span>money</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5216/astronaut.wav'><span>astronaut</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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