"No matter what, both of my parents still love me!" Photo: Jupiter Images
A pair of New Jersey exes have racked up $40,000 in legal fees as they battle for permanent custody of their pet pug, Dexter, reports the New York Post. Eric Dare, a New Jersey policeman, and Doreen Houseman, a customer-service manager, headed to Salem County Family Court on Wednesday for a third round of legal arguments.
Dare and Houseman ended their thirteen year relationship and engagement in 2006. Since then, the two have been in a tug of war over six-year-old Dexter. Dare, who was originally awarded custody, claims he let Houseman share the pooch with him when they split. Houseman, who had originally sued for custody, appealed the decision, claiming that Dare had given her the dog after they broke up, reports the New York Post.
According to the New York Post, Houseman won her appeal last March, when three appeals judges disagreed with Judge John Tomasello's original ruling, which compared Dexter to a piece of furniture. The decision set a new precedent: that pets have "special subjective" and "sentimental value," which should have been considered in the initial decision.
According to court papers, the appeals process got even more heated when lawyers for the Animal Defense League and Lawyers in Defense of Animals filed paperwork urging the court create a rule "that requires consideration of the best interest of the dog."
The argument goes like this: Dare claims he paid for Dexter and has covered the dog's veterinary bills. He adds that he shared the pug with Houseman when the two parted ways to be civil. Houseman, who says she was "blindsided" by the breakup, says Dare told her she could keep the dog, who they referred to as "our son."
Judge Tomasello ordered the couple to return to court last week. "I'm not inclined to be Solomon and cut the dog in half," Tomasello told the former couple, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. He did offer Dare and Houseman some suggestions: sole custody for one of them or a joint visitation agreement.
He ordered the dueling duo to return to court in September. In the meantime, maybe Judge Tomasello should order the couple to watch "Kramer vs. Kramer".
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Related Videos
More Cute Stuff
- Lion Love (Daily Squee)
- This Cat Means Business (I Can Has Cheezburger)
- Zebra Tan! (I Has a Hotdog)
- Cat Guys or Dog Guys? (Petside)
- Reducing your Carbon Paw-Print (Discovery)
Sponsored Links
Advertisement
Time-Lapse Tortoise Noms Salad
We have three Peke's. Joejoe is 24 years old and has been with me for a long time. I would fight to the bitter end, everything I could ever own to keep my three Peke's. They are like my children and I love them fiercely.
24?? My God, good for you. I had 3 germ. shepherds growing up, and the last one lived to 16. Unfortunately, I had moved out of state, and my Mom didnt have the inclination to keep her properly, and her hips were giving out. My Dad passed, it was his dog mainly. But lots of continued luck with yours, thats fantastic.
Sorry, dogs don't live 24 years...
Well hell, I'd take Master Joe Joe anyday over anything. Are you a woman? If yes, then you got it made here in America. Just walk up to any judge and claim your prize.
I envy you for getting to have your dog so long.Our beloved pug just passed,just over 18 years,but longer than most.Luckily my wife and I get along well.When we had to put her down,my now adult sons rushed to the vet,dropped everything, to say good bye,I think she was already gone by the the time they injected her,(she went fast ,from doing fine to Short of breath ,then going in about 12 hours),but the boys got to hold her one last time.I understand loving the dog,but why cant people do the right thing,and share,or whatever?I cant imagine splitting with my wife,but if some how that happenned I would have wanted our little pug to go with her(because she was more attached to her I think,although the whole family loved her
Oh, trust me. I leftmy pet too. I have a kitten that is 1 year old. I forgot her birth date, so we came up with August 7th because she was born in August, apparently. At first I voted No, that is too extreme' for me to go to court to keep my pet, but then I said yes, because I really do love my cat and I would be sad if I didn't have her.
wow 24? maybe your dog will live so long he can break a world record I have a yellow lab named Bella and I love her so much. She's almost a year old
Sounds like she is still angry about HIM leaving. Why take it out on the dog? The dog deserves a stable home. She is clearly unstable.
Do you know how many pugs you can buy for $40,000? How about going to a pug rescue group and giving a home to an abandoned pug?
THANK GOD THEY DIDN'T HAVE KIDS!!
AMEN You said it!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, my mom is Canadian by birth.
If someone doesnt thing she wouldnt fight a battlle with dad over rights to see her dogs, they are out of their mind and dont know big city northerners well.
my mom would definatly take her case to the supreme courT, and beyond if they didnt rule in her favor.
The pug has more brains then the both of them. These idiots making their lawyers rich while the dogs is licking himself. And they say man is superior.
Laws should change. For many people, especially those who are childless, a pet is much more like a family member than it is like a piece of property. I've known of some epic custody battles over dogs, but don't personally know of any that went to court for settlement. Its probably safer for a couple to have at least two pets.
If your going to spend $40 grand on the dog,that say so much by itself.Either see a psychoanalyst or tell the dog to quit laughing so loud.
u must have never had a dog.
We have a pug named "Morty" and he is absolutely adorable!!! They are the sweetest pets, so cuddly and rambunctious yet very protective. "Morty" is short for Mortimer Mac Dougal. I like the name Dexter too.
as many people as there are out here who need love and companionship and you freaks are spending 40K on who has custody of a dog. people, wake up. smell the coffee. get a hobby. get a life, please. needy and sad individuals is what you all are.
Ok well as many people go hungry you should never ever eat out again and donate all the money that you would have spent to charities. It is their hard-earned money. Don't tell them what to spend it on.
I agree with the comment "thank god they didn't have kids", but I understand the love and bond they feel for their pet. Growing up as a child my family and I had a shih tzu that lived to be 15 yrs. of age. When we all turned 18 and moved out of mommys and daddys we all shared custody of the dog. My sister would keep her a week or so and we would swap out. People have to learn to comprimise and stop being such dorks. Ps. I love my little Gizmo but I am never paying pet support. (well only by choice)
Solomon didn't cut the baby in half... he ordered it, knowing the real mother would give up her rights to save the child.
Let one of them have the dog and the other gets a new puppy. DUH!