I have no doubt that custody disputes involving pets are on the rise. It makes sense to me. What does not make sense to me is the argument that the increase is due to “breakups in same-sex marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships”.

Breakups have always happened between people living together but not married. Maybe because now that there’s actual legal status to these relationships, causing lawyers to be involved, lawyers think the fights are more common

Still better arguments are that more people own pets, and the way pets are viewed in society is changing from property to family.