Bill > HB1131

This bill grants Colorado courts the authority to make decisions regarding the care and custody of pet animals during divorce and legal separation proceedings, treating pets as more than just property. Specifically, it allows courts to award sole or shared custody of a pet animal based on the animal's best interests, considering factors like each party's history with the pet, their emotional attachment, and any history of animal abuse or violence. The bill also permits courts to issue temporary orders for a pet's care and expenses, and even emergency protection orders to safeguard a pet's well-being, including awarding temporary custody, during these legal proceedings. The term "pet animal" is defined by referencing another existing statute (section 35-80-102), and the bill amends existing laws to integrate these new provisions for pet custody into divorce and property disposition cases, as well as emergency protection orders.

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https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1131