You saw the writing on the wall. Things have been bad with with your partner for a long time. The fighting, the arguments, and the tension has made it unbearable in your home. It is even affecting your pets. The moment either one of you raise your voice, your pets are taking cover. The last time your partner stormed out of the house and slammed the door, it left your older dog trembling for an hour. As you sat there and tried to calm your pets, you knew it was time. You don’t have to be an expert on relationships to know when breaking up is the best thing you can do for everyone involved. Now it’s time to take the next step. You need to prepare yourself for ending it with someone who has been a major part of your life. Remember that the decisions you make are not only going to affect you. It will make a difference to your pets as well.
Take Special Care with Older or Sick Animals
You might think it is simple to figure out custody arrangements for your animals, but it is often one of the most difficult decisions you will have to make. You both love your pets and they love you. When you separate from your partner, your pets will be forced to endure a separation as well. A change in routine and living arrangements can have a major impact on your pets.
For instance, if a dog suffers from seizures, a transition of this kind is likely to trigger one. If the partner taking the dog is the less familiar of the two in regards to addressing seizures, guides like this one provided by Canna-Pet can help, but communicating with your ex beforehand will be important as well. You need to think about what is best for the animals you love. If your animals are sick or older, you really need to be aware of their needs. The last thing you want to do is place stress on pets that already have enough of their own problems with their health.
As you think about a plan of action at the end of your relationship, consider the following:
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Who acquired the pets in the first place?
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Who will be home most often to care for the pets?
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Who has the best finances to take care of the pets’ needs?
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Who are the pets most attached to?
Make Pet Care a Priority When Your Relationship Ends
When people are in the middle of a breakup, one of the first things that comes to mind is property. If you own a home and cars together, you need to figure out how to fairly divide your assets. The same holds true about bank accounts and the contents of your home. If you have children, it will be much more complicated. You will need to figure out custody arrangements that will work for everyone, but your first priority should be the welfare of your child. The same can be said about pets. When couples dissolve their relationships, they may overlook their furry members of the family. Before you make any hasty decisions about who is going to live where, you need to sit down and think about the animals that are a much a part of the family as the people in your home.
Give Your Pets Peace of Mind
In some cases, couples manage to have joint custody of pets as they take turns with their animals in the same way that parents share custody of their children. This may work if you live nearby and your pets do well with change. However, your older or sick pets would do best to be kept in a stable environment. If at all possible, you should allow them to remain in the home where they have been comfortable. One caregiver is best. If you and your partner can be civil to one another, you could arrange for visitations with your pet. Your main goal should be to make sure that your pets are not upset by interactions with either of you. If you have to sell your original home and both of you are going your separate ways, think long and hard about who would be best to care for the pets. If you have more than one, it is best to keep them together. Pets become accustomed to one another. You don’t want to upset the animals you love when your relationship is over.