Who gets the pet when a couple separates? B.C. looking at amendments to Family Law Act
New guidance is being proposed to help judges in B.C. decide what happens to a family pet when a couple separates.
If passed, Family Law Act amendments introduced by attorney general Niki Sharma Monday will require consideration of who is able and willing to care for a pet, if a child has a relationship with the animal and if the family pet may be at risk of violence.
"The amendments make it easier for people to come up with their own agreements when it comes to how to divide the family pet time with the family pet or if they can't, to get an order from a judge to say who's who gets custody of the family pet," Sharma told reporters at the legislature.
V. Victoria Shroff a lawyer and educator specializing in animal law, told CTV News, there's been a steady increase in the number of cases involving what she calls "pet custody." Part of that, she says, is due to the increased number of people who got pets during the pandemic.
She said the amendments introduced by the province aim to view the pet not as property, but as a part of a family. Shroff called the move, "groundbreaking."
Shroff added she believed this was the first time legislation like this was introduced in Canada.
"I think it's going to bring clarity, it's going to help separating couples, I I'm really, really jazzed about it," she added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.