# Spain grants joint custody of dog .



## kimthecat (Aug 11, 2009)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59062132

*A judge in Spain has granted joint custody of a dog to a separated couple who went to court to determine who the pet should live with.*

The Madrid court considered that both parties were "jointly responsible" and "co-caretakers" of Panda the dog.

A lawyer who brought the case to court said it was a "pioneering" ruling.

Spain is currently drafting new legislation so that animals are no longer considered objects and are legally recognised as living beings.

This status would make it easier for a partner to request joint custody of a pet following a breakup.

But Lola García, from the Law & Animals law firm, brought this case to court under the 1987 European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, which Spain ratified in 2017.

She said it was a "pioneering ruling" because her client was able to declare herself not as a "co-owner" of Panda but as "co-responsible" and as a "co-carer".

Panda's adoption contract, veterinary bills and photographs where "the three are seen as a family, exactly the same as if it were a family photo with children" were submitted as evidence, Ms García said, according to RTVE.

The judge ruled that "the evidence in the proceedings reveals an affective relationship between the plaintiff and the dog that is worthy of legal guardianship".


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Hopefully, that will help towards improving the welfare of dogs (and other animals) in Spain overall.

To clarify, I refer to this bit “Spain is currently drafting new legislation so that animals are no longer considered objects and are legally recognised as living beings.”


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

Hmmmm....I wonder if anyone considers the dogs feelings in all this?
Honestly the few times that I have seen joint custody of a dog after a relationship break down it has been the feelings of the humans at the forefront and the dogs have suffered...One of the dogs that I train is in a joint custody "thing" and I can instantly tell when she has been to the "other" house due to her behaviour...but the humans are happy so it will continue


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

Love the way they show a photo of ''a dog'' (in case we have forgotten what they look like).


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## kimthecat (Aug 11, 2009)

Shame they don't care about Bulls so much.


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## O2.0 (May 23, 2018)

kimthecat said:


> Shame they don't care about Bulls so much.


The life of a fighting bull is arguably much nicer than the life of a factory farmed meat bull. 
They live out in fields undisturbed and then have one bad day (well, very bad). 
But farmed animals live in cramped conditions their whole lives, never free to exhibit natural behaviors. Not a nice way to live, and how they die isn't nice either.

Just because the cruelty is hidden from public view doesn't make it less cruel.


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## kimthecat (Aug 11, 2009)

O2.0 said:


> The life of a fighting bull is arguably much nicer than the life of a factory farmed meat bull.
> They live out in fields undisturbed and then have one bad day (well, very bad).
> But farmed animals live in cramped conditions their whole lives, never free to exhibit natural behaviors. Not a nice way to live, and how they die isn't nice either.
> 
> Just because the cruelty is hidden from public view doesn't make it less cruel.


yes indeed. My point was about attitude really . Its the attitude that gets me , the fact that they can watch a bull being tortured to death and cheer on the killer is sickening . They enjoy it. It's a national sport. I always cheer when the matador gets gored.


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