"I think what is happening is that a lot of people are choosing not to have children, but they are getting pets earlier than ever," says Jacqueline Newman, a Manhattan attorney who has handled multiple pet-oriented divorce squabbles. "Therefore pets become like children - and people will fight for them."
If a couple does have kids, the typical arrangement is that the dog or cat will go wherever the children go, experts say.
Money issues often follow. After all, raising a dog can be expensive - especially in high-cost urban environments.
In fact, the first year of raising a small dog will set you back an average of $2,674, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Medium-sized dogs will chew through $2,889 in their first year, and large-sized dogs $3,239.
Since not every pet owner makes the same amount of money, that can be a problem.
"I call it 'doggy support,'" Newman says. She recalls one pug, Oliver, who was "a very expensive dog." "High vet bills, special food, doggie daycare, dogwalkers. It was more than $1,000 a month," she recalls
The result: The higher-earning partner ended up forking over more than three-quarters of pet-care costs, despite having Oliver half the time.
That is also what happened with Pupineya, with Joseph handling most of the pet-care costs, including cross-country airplane jaunts. But after years of wrangling, both partners are happy to have the matter settled, so they can enjoy time with their four-legged family member.
Says Hsu: "My life was never complete until adopting the pup."