I am looking for Ontario to adopt a law that sees pets as living beings rather than objects owned by a person. A pet(s) welfare should be considered when couples divorce or break-up. When a family decides to separate, custody of the pet(s) should be looked at with the same importance as the other family members. Currently right now in Ontario, well in Canada for that fact there is no law protecting our family pet(s) during a divorce or break-up. This leaves the pet(s) to be stuck in the middle of the mess that usually unfolds from this, unless the individuals involved are able to consider them with a clear head and not the feelings and emotions these events cause. 

Between 2016-2017 I had suffered 3 miscarriages. This is not something that is easy to process or go through, and is still something I think about every day. To help myself I decided to get a Australian Shepherd. I got her July 22, 2017 and named her Sadie. Sadie was the absolute best and my everything but that had all changed back in February 2020. This was when I was kicked out of my matrimonial home by my mentally and emotionally abusive ex-husband. I was kicked out with only a couple bags of clothes. Trying to fight for the right just to see my own kids was (and still currently is) hard enough, let alone the battle of trying to get my dog back. My ex-husband said I could have her back when I had gotten a place of my own after kicking me out. Now when time came to this and I had gotten my own place in August 2021 he turned around and gave my dog to my sister who refuses to return the dog. Now I know this may sound crazy to people but I have tried to contact them for the return or my dog, with no success. I have tried contact the local police with proof that the dog is mine but since they said my ex sold the dog to my sister she now belongs to my sister and theres nothing they will do. I have tried contacting them multiple times about this and it came down to the fact that they just wouldn't want to do the paper work to do this is what I was told by an officer after contact the local police station requesting to speak to the chief. I have tried contacting local pet rescue groups and whatnot for information as I know that she isn't even being cared for and that this is all just our of spite, and for me to not have my dog at the end of the day, and they just said as long as she has food and shelter no one would do anything. I have tried asking lawyers about this and they say the only way is to go to small claims court and at the end of the day a pet is looked at like a piece of furniture, and no judge will issue your dog back, the only thing I'll get is a bill that will cost me so much money that they've told me I should just go buy a new dog. It's not that easy though. I had my connection with Sadie, she was and still is mine no matter how anyone else looks at it.

At the end of the day I had an emotional connection to this dog, she helped fill a void I felt like I had lost, I also have the proof she is my dog, and there is nothing that anyone can seem to do to help me get her back. I know that I am not the only one who has suffered on loosing out on a pet(s) after going through divorce and won't be the last. I think that this is something that should be taken into consideration, there should be rights for our pet(s) as they are living beings to.

Recently in January of 2022 Spain became the latest country in Europe to officially adopt a law like this. Other European countries that also recognize animals as living beings include Portugal, Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland. In total there are 32 countries internationally that have formally recognized animals as living beings. I am starting this petition in hopes that Canada will adopt this same law that these other countries have in place.