While pets have long been considered “property” to be divided during a divorce under the rules of equitable distribution, as of January 2018, the state of Illinois allows judges to consider the well-being of the pet. Pets and their owners often have deep emotional bonds, and breaking those bonds can be harmful to the owner and the pet. Unfortunately, some spouses use pets as a bargaining chip to get what they want from the divorce.

In particular, if the pet or pets largely belong to one spouse, the other may threaten to keep the pet if he or she…

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