From Associated Press News: In the eyes of the law, pets are property when it comes to divorce, but new ways of working out custody of the dog, cat or parrot have sprung up with special mediators and “petnups” to avoid courtroom disputes.

Alaska, California and Illinois are among states that have enacted laws giving judges leeway to consider the best interests of pets, not unlike what they do for children. A bill is pending in New York state to take the same approach.

Some judges around the country have been taking the approach on a case-by-case basis . . . . But couples are left to the whims of whichever judges they’re assigned should they choose to go to trial.

In states that haven’t taken the new approach, [Adam] Citron [a New York divorce lawyer] suggests agreeing at the time a pet is acquired during a marriage whose name will appear alone on registration or adoption papers. That person should pay any costs out of a separate bank account. Such measures are especially helpful if one party is trying to weaponize a pet in exchange for other coveted property.

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