It’s not usually the case that romantic relationships last forever, but your dedication to your pet should be certain.
As a means of assisting couples who are considering getting a pet together in preparing for the future, Rover.com developed a “Prepup Checklist.”
Couples are required to examine what they would want to happen to their assets in the event that their marriage does not terminate in loss or divorce before entering into a prenuptial agreement. Under the “PrePup Checklist” offered by Rover, couples are encouraged to examine how they would manage the duties of pet ownership in the event that they were to divorce while they were caring for an animal.
It is important to note that the “Prepup Checklist” is not a legally enforceable contract, in contrast to prenuptial agreements. By include “some paragraphs about who any pets belong to or what you’re going to do if you adopt a pet during the marriage” in a prenuptial agreement, Kristina Bergsten of The Animal Law Firm recommends that those who are interested in legally protecting their pets do so.
In August of 2023, Bergsten said to People that in the event that a prenuptial agreement does not include a clause about pets, “the property settlement agreement will determine who gets the pet” in the event of a divorce.
The “Prepup Checklist” exists with the intention of preventing couples from having to depend on property agreements in order to decide what happens to their dogs throughout the divorce process.
Following the findings of one of Rover’s surveys, which found that 56 percent of respondents who had pets had never addressed who their pet would live with in the event that they split up with their spouse, Rover made the decision to develop the checklist.
Beginning with prompts that ask owners to assign tasks for each pet parent, such as who will be in charge of the feeding and walking routine, the checklist begins with the owners being asked to designate responsibilities.
Within the second section of the paper, which can be downloaded from Rover’s website, it is requested that couples “have difficult conversations about the future.” These conversations should include determining who would be responsible for the pet’s living arrangements in the case of a separation and dividing the financial duties associated with pet ownership.
“”It is essential for couples to prioritize the well-being of animals and make a commitment to co-parenting in a healthy manner in order to ensure the health and well-being of their pets. It is widely recognized in animal welfare science that dogs and other animals can self-regulate and find innate strategies for coping with stress and anxiety when they are feeling safe, secure, and familiar with their social relationships,” Philip Tedeschi, a professor, and researcher on the human-animal bond who works with Rovers, said in a statement to PEOPLE.”
The fact that they are in close proximity to other members of the family is one of the most significant markers of the feeling of security that they have. In addition, he said that having talks about the future and what may occur in the event that there is a disturbance in the life of a pet would be beneficial to the creature, would provide predictability, and would keep the pet close to the people with whom they interact.
In addition, the checklist has a section where the new pet of the pair may “cosign” on any of the items that are being addressed. Rover is hopeful that the “Prepup Checklist” will assist in strengthening the link that exists between individuals and their dogs as well as between individuals and their spouses.