00:00Who gets the dog after a breakup?
00:01In Brazil, it's no longer just a couple's dispute.
00:04It is now a matter of law.
00:05The Brazilian parliament has just passed a unique piece of legislation to regulate the
00:10custody of pets in the event of a separation.
00:12The goal?
00:13To end conflicts over cats or dogs when a couple splits up.
00:17If the two parties cannot reach an agreement, a judge can now decide on shared custody.
00:21The law also stipulates that expenses related to the animals such as food, grooming, or
00:26vet visits be shared fairly between the two former partners.
00:30To benefit from shared custody, the animal must have spent the majority of its life with
00:34the couple.
00:35However, this possibility will be excluded in cases of a criminal record or risk of domestic
00:40violence.
00:41Members of parliament explained the decision by pointing to changes in Brazilian society.
00:45Couples today have fewer children and develop increasingly strong bonds with their pets,
00:50often considered true family members.
00:52In Brazil, a country of 213 million people, there are approximately 160 million pets, mainly
00:59dogs.
00:59The law still needs to be signed off by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
01:04In the UK, no specific law currently regulates the shared custody of animals after a separation.
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