Treat pets in divorce like kids, not property, says Alaska law

An Alaska law (http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/29/Bills/HB0147A.PDF) now directs its state courts, when handling divorces where pets are involved, to set for an order "if an animal is owned, for the ownership or joint ownership of the animal, considering the well-being of the animal. "

There has long been debate on whether pets should be treated in divorce like property, being "equitably distributed" along with money, furniture and the like, or whether they shoudl be treated more like children, where the "best interests" of the pets are considered.

Where a pet's 'best interests' are considered,  each party may in a given case end up with a share of time with and caretaking responsibility for a pet, or the pet may be awarded wholly to the more suitable divorcing party to provide for its care.

Illinois has recently reaffirmed its stance, along with the holding of most states, that pets are property to be distributed, rather than giving them child-like treatment.  Alaska law, for its part, now clearly differs from this majority stance.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/01/25/alaska-treats-pets-more-like-kids-divorce-courts/97031314/