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ARTICLE · 16 OCTOBER 2024

Paw-sitive Changes? A Closer Look At BC's Pet Ownership Laws

Devry Smith Frank LLP
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In May 2023, DSF published a blog discussing the approach taken by Ontario courts regarding pet ownership disputes and the then-proposed amendments to British Columbia's Family Law Act.

CanadaFamily and Matrimonial
Devry Smith Frank LLP
Devry Smith Frank LLP
Rachel Weitz
Rachel Weitz
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In May 2023, DSF published a blog discussing the approach taken by Ontario courts regarding pet ownership disputes and the then-proposed amendments to British Columbia's Family Law Act. Specifically, the BC government sought to clarify what kinds of decisions its courts can make regarding pets and the processes in arriving at those decisions.

A New Approach to Pet Custody

As of January 15, 2024, these amendments are now law in BC. Section 97 now includes subsections (4.1) and (4.2), as follows:

(4.1) In determining whether to make an order under subsection (1) respecting a companion animal, the Supreme Court must consider the following factors:

  1. the circumstances in which the companion animal was acquired;

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