Couple lying down with jack russell in between them

Pet Nup

Blue Cross Pet Nup: the pet equivalent of a pre-nuptial agreement, but with pet welfare at its heart.

While many couples put agreements in place to protect their assets, we’re encouraging pet owners to think about their beloved pets.

Signing up to this specially created document to plan for your pets’ futures can help avoid heartache should your relationship come to an end.

We have partnered with divorce lawyers Lloyd Platt & Company in an attempt to stop the numbers of pets getting caught up in marital disputes around the country, and to lessen the stress and heartache for owners and pets alike.

Download the free Blue Cross Pet Nup

The free Pet Nup document, which can be downloaded below and has been developed in partnership with legal divorce experts, sets out the right of ownership in the event of a divorce or relationship breakdown and covers ongoing pet care.

There are some parts of the agreement that a court will not enforce, such as lifestyle choices like who takes the dog on holiday or how the cat should be cared for, but deciding these details between you could still help to take the conflict out of a difficult and emotional break-up situation.

Recent Blue Cross research shows:

  • Four pets are taken in by Blue Cross every week following relationship breakdowns
  • Dogs and cats are the most fought over pets, followed by horses, rabbits and guinea pigs
  • When Brits split it is usually (56%) the wife or girlfriend who keeps the pet, whereas just under a third of men (29%) retain full ownership
  • For those who couldn’t decide who should keep the pet, 15% decided to give them to a family friend, 12% to family members and 6% to pet charities such as Blue Cross

We have also created a much simpler Deed of Agreement document that sets out who will take ownership in the event of a break-up, without as much detail as the full Pet Nup.

Saying goodbye to your pet

Parting with a pet can be a sad and difficult experience. Sometimes it helps to share feelings of loss with someone who will listen with compassion and without judgement. Our Pet Loss Support service can help you through separating from your pet. 

More on Pet Loss Support

— Page last updated 20/12/2023