Anyone had to fight for custody of their dog?

Stinkbomb

Stinkbomb

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Im currently going through a divorce. The ex husband hasnt seen out dog for 5 months now. He doesnt pay anything towards his keep although he is still paying for his insurance ( which i find strange ) and he has never asked about how he is etc..

A few weeks ago he asked could he come and see the dog before christmas. i said yes, he has a key to the house, and ive never said he cant see him. We also work in the same job so he can see at work when i am working if he wants to make sure im not in. However he never came despite having a few weeks off work.

Again he has asked whether he can come and see the dog. Ive again told him he has a key and knows my shifts and can see him whenever he wants. After a brief text arguement ( which i hate! ) he ended saying he was going to get the dog after the divorce anyway.

I know he doesnt really want the dog. he has no where to keep him and hasnt shown any interest in him in 5 months. I think he is just doing all this to upset me and make me think he is going to take him off me. However this is working and im now worried that im going to have to fight to keep him.

Has anyone been through anything similar after seperation and what happened?

Mince pies for those who got this far :D
 
Nothing to add but just to say how awful for you when this is a hard enough time anyway. Give citizens advice bureau a call - its free or your divorce lawyer should be able to advise you.
 
Just googled and if you look for dog law, it says the dog is treated as a chattel. I can't paste the link but have a look.
 
How awful but it sounds like he is just being a spiteful knobber. However it might be worth keeping some records re what you have to pay out for the dog ie food, insurance, vets bills etc so that worse case scenario he does try and fight you for him at least you will have proof that you have been the one paying out for him and surely this would look favorably on you? Good luck :)
 
As some know my OH ex took the dog when I first moved in. (18months post break up). She was still paying insurance. She still had a key and turned up one day and took him. Police were not interested he was a gift to her 5 years ago and everything in her name. The only way he could prove ownership as was in his care for 18months was to prove all vet bills, food bills etc.

Unfortunately he couldnt afford the legal side of it all and let it lie after a massive arguement.

Good luck I hope you are given better options and advice we were.
The only good thing that came out of it was many "friends" saw her for who she was and she was left friendless and for a while homeless after it all.
 
Whose name is dog in at vets? If his, change this tomorrow. With horses, the livery bill is usually your best bet for proof of ownership, better than passports etc, therefore keep food receipts, vet bills.
 
Change the locks asap: definitely worth it just in case. There's no way I'd be allowing an ex free access to the house. If he's on the deeds, maybe temporarily move the dog.
 
cinammontoast said:
Whose name is dog in at vets? If his, change this tomorrow. With horses, the livery bill is usually your best bet for proof of ownership, better than passports etc, therefore keep food receipts, vet bills.
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I don't mean to hijack but I'm currently arguing with my vets over who's name they should have down as my dogs owner. I still live at home. My mum owns a dog and I own a dog who go to the same vets. The vets refuse to put me down as my dogs owner as I'm not the home owner :eek: I bought him and pay his insurance, food, vet bills, accessories etc. All letters from the vets about my dog are addressed to my mum even his vac certificate is in my mums name.
 
Stinkbomb said:
....... After a brief text arguement ( which i hate! ) he ended saying he was going to get the dog after the divorce anyway.

.......
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When we go through divorce, all so often we say things which we don't mean, we make threats which we wont carry out, and it's just our way of fighting against the pain.

Easy for me to say, I realise, but try not to worry. Nothing will come of his threats.

Alec.
 
Oh Stinkbomb I am so sorry. I went through a hideous divorce 10 years ago and at the time had 2 dogs, one was mine completely as he was my shadow. I was his world and no way on this earth would anyone have serperated us. The other was in theory his, but he was never really a dog person, it was just for effect. When we split I took my dog with me,i tried to take both as they were affected by splitting, every day he would drop her off at my place for me to have during the day as I could take my dogs to work and at night he collected her. She hated it. and so did I, i hated her going every night but I was told by my solicitor that as there were 2 dogs then we could simply split possessions and have one each. I could do nothing about it, the court ratified it. It broke my heart to see her. In teh end his total lack of care and failure to provide proper vet treatment led to her death 7 months later. I was devestated, but she was never going to suffer again. You have just the one dog, you have looked after it yourself for months, fed, vet treated and exercised it. You need to make sure it is in your name alone at the vets, and ensure microchips etc are all to you. All give proof of her being your dog.

Alec you say some really wise words, it is just so difficult in the heat of the break up not to take the threats at face value.
 
Many years ago I was given an Arab mare although the past owner continued to pay the insurance I paid everything else including sorting out a number of health issues (she had some Sarcoids) the women kept in touch for about six months then I heard nothing from her for seven years, then out of the blue she wanted me to buy the mare . As the only thing that she had was that she had paid the insurance (I had all the paper work for the insurance) I was adviced to cancel the insurance and start again. My case with the mare was stated as abandament and to this day I still have the mare .

Does the house have both your names on the deeds is so then he does have access to the house if not change the locks and if he tries to gain entry then just call the police.
 
I would change the locks too I am affraid.
I have never been in this situation (it simply would not happen) I made sure of that, but I do like to think ahead, I know OH would never ever fight me for the dogs.
We have however helped other people to hang onto dogs (we get some strange requests as a rescue):eek: and we did manage to help keep them in their homes:)
One word of advice I can give is whoever has the animal in their care/posession is in the best position, as suggested these things are seen as a more civil matter and most courts will wipe their hands and a solicitor ain't cheap, we took cases for 2 horses we let out on loan (rescue horses) and it cost over £2000 in solicitors fees (we did win though) and the horses where funnily enough removed from the care of the people who had them on loan at the time (1 by the police) and 1 by me;) because I knew if I did not wade on in and remove said horse physically that we stood little change of getting him back as he would have disappeared, and I always think one step ahead in these circumstances. So change those locks and start new insurance of your own even if there is one policy running it does not stop you taking another in your name, and make sure as suggested the chip is in your name.
Also reg him at a new vets if he is in your OH's name at another, and maybe throw in a hint about maybe having to use his insurance if it comes to it as you have had him checked and the vets wants to run some tests for his heart/or bloods to rule out a few things as he has been drinking more than usual;) this may do the trick in having him back off.

To add.....I am affraid if it came down to it and my x partner wanted a dog/animal of mine and there was any slight chance they could get it, (the dog would dissapear) for a while;)
 
Jake10 said:
I don't mean to hijack but I'm currently arguing with my vets over who's name they should have down as my dogs owner. I still live at home. My mum owns a dog and I own a dog who go to the same vets. The vets refuse to put me down as my dogs owner as I'm not the home owner :eek: I bought him and pay his insurance, food, vet bills, accessories etc. All letters from the vets about my dog are addressed to my mum even his vac certificate is in my mums name.
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That's ridiculous. What if you rent?! I would go with your mum and insist on a change.
 
When my ex left he agreed the dogs would stay with me and that he wanted to continue helping with costs of them including Floras show career etc and still have access to see them. A month or two down the line he came to visit them and I asked for some money towards fuel to travel Flora to a large show I had already paid the entry for. He refused. I then asked for a contribution to fencing the garden at the new property I had to move into because he left and obviously needed to keep them safe, I had paid 700 quid for a new fence and gate on the property. Again he refused. I asked him to sign KC documents over to me (they were in joint name) and to sign another contract a friend (solicitor) had drawn up stating all four dogs were mine. He refused this as well. So I got some big burly men round the next time he came to visit and then he signed the documents ;) and gave me some cash towards the kc transfer fees! I wasnt having him have any further claim over the dogs at any point in the future. As things were before that I realised he technically, in the case of Flora and Milo, could have walked in and legally removed them at any time should it have taken his fancy. Had I got a whiff of him about to do that they all would have been on holiday with Cayla in a few hours!
I hope you get things sorted.
 
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