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.