When parents get divorced, one parent is generally ordered to make child support payments to the other parent. This is to ensure the kids continue to have the same lifestyle they would have if their parents were still together.
Being a custodial parent and raising children alone all or most of the time can be financially draining. It means that one parent is responsible for providing the majority of the children’s basic needs and managing their day-to-day schedule, all of which are incredible responsibilities. This is true even for people with “kids” that have four legs.
Such is the case with actress, Mandy Moore, and her ex-husband singer, Ryan Adams. According to recent reports, the former couple’s divorce proceedings hit a snag now that Moore has asked Adams for monthly support to care for their eight pets.
When they were married, Moore and Adams shared six cats and two dogs. After the split, Adams reportedly promised to take some of the pets but never did. This left Moore responsible for all of them, which she claims has been an incredible financial burden. Moore requested that Adams pay $37,000 per month in “pet support” to help her defray the cost of maintaining the eight animals, in addition to requesting that he take four of the animals off her hands.
Although in recent years, there has been an increase in cases involving people seeking support and visitation for pets, pet custody and support are not reflected by California family laws. In fact, pets are technically considered to be property, not members of the family.
However, some changes in the law do recognize that family pets are more than just property. As of 2008, people can include pets as a part of a domestic violence restraining order, which would prevent the restrained party from abusing the animal as a means of indirectly harming the protected party. This change indicates a shift in the perception that pets are mere property and acknowledges the deep emotional connection that people share with their animals.
If you are divorcing and have concerns about your pets and what can be done to protect them in your settlement, it can be crucial that you discuss the situation with your attorney. With good legal guidance, it is possible to find a fair and reasonable solution.
Source: Fox News, “Mandy Moore reportedly wants her ex Ryan Adams to pay for her 8 pets,” Dec. 13, 2015