A new petition is calling on the Government to reform outdated laws that treat pets as property in Court cases.
Launched by Cooper & Co Solicitors of Canterbury, a firm which has been acting for pet owners since the 1990’s, the campaign aims to reshape how Courts handle pet-related cases including tug of love cases and other ownership battles, negligence claims and more. Solicitor, Jack Sullivan, said:
“Owners are shocked to learn the law still treats pets as chattels, no different from a table or a waistcoat.
Most see their pets as family, yet Courts are not required to consider their welfare or emotional bonds. It is high time the law caught up with public sentiment.”
The 2024 National Dog Survey by Dogs Trust revealed that “99% of dog owners said that their dogs are family”. Additional research by Purina found that 73% of people view their pets as “one of their best friends”. This overwhelming societal view stands in stark contrast to how the law currently views pets as property.
The campaign comes in the wake of recent media coverage of pet theft, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 and the Pet Abduction Act 2024 bringing concerns about the rights of pets to the forefront of public debate.
The solicitors warn that current laws need to change after witnessing a 37.5% rise in pet custody cases between 31st March 2024 and 31st March 2025 compared to the previous year with owners often wrongfully separated from their pets for a year or longer due to lengthy legal disputes.
They also state that those currently in legal proceedings are likely to receive little to no compensation if their pets are killed due to negligence, as Courts typically assess damages based only on the animal’s open market value.
The petition has already begun gaining traction among pet lovers, legal professionals, and animal welfare advocates, with over 2,700 signatures obtained within the first few days of launch.
Supporters are encouraged to use the hashtag: #FamilyNotProperty. As evidenced by the petition’s heat map, support has been garnered from across the UK, demonstrating the broadscale public support for the mission of the campaign. Jack added:
“For millions of people, pets are not property – they’re comfort, companionship, and unconditional love. The public already knows pets are family, it’s time the law caught up.”
Natalie Sutherland, Partner at Burgess Mee Family Law recently attended a meeting with the Working Group on Pets on Divorce and Separation. She said:
“The Working Group on Pets on Divorce and Separation was founded by Sarah Lucy Cooper, an international family law barrister at Thomas More Chambers and Estella Newbold-Brown, Partner and Head of Family Law at Amphlett Lissimore in December 2024. Its members include family solicitors and barristers from all over the UK as well as international family law experts, family law academics, veterinary surgeons and nurses, animal behaviourists and media personalities.
Whereas the UK treats pets as chattels, many jurisdictions such as Spain, France, Colombia, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and various states of the US and provinces in Canada have updated their laws to ensure that pets are protected on divorce and separation and the UK has very much fallen behind. We want to change this.
We are a nation of pet lovers and, as family law practitioners, we know how difficult divorce and separation proceedings can be when the parties are arguing about who gets the pet. Not only does the decision impact on the animal’s welfare, but sometimes, arguing over pets can be used as a tactic to perpetuate abuse as a form of control. Disputes over the family pet can also hamper settlement and lead to litigation. If the law changed it may remove one of the stumbling blocks over settlement and prevent satellite litigation freeing up the over worked courts.”
She said that the working group were invited to the House of Lords last week to discuss potential law reform with Earl of Courtown and Baroness Berridge. This meeting followed Baroness Berridge addressing the Lords on this issue in a debate about prenuptial agreements in February this year.
The group has the support of retired Family High Court Judge, Sir Nicholas Mostyn, Dr Ed Hayes, Head of Public Affairs at The Kennel Club and from celebrities Karen Hauer (Strictly Come Dancing) and Samantha Bains (The One Show, The Crown).
Anyone wishing to support the campaign should follow the LinkedIn page, reach out if they’d like to get involved and write to their MP expressing their support for law reform.
Petition Link: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/714902
