_edited_edited.png)
Who Keeps the Dog?
A Practical Guide to Pet Custody for Divorce Attorneys
October 28, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. PT
Pets are increasingly at the center of contested divorces, and the default solutions attorneys reach for often backfire. Shared custody looks like a fair compromise, and sending the dog with the children feels intuitive. Neither is automatically right for the animal or for the parties, who may be tied to the arrangement for the next 10 to 15 years.
This session brings a dog behavior perspective to pet custody negotiations. You will leave with practical tools to raise pets early, counsel clients candidly, and draft agreements that hold up when circumstances change.
What You'll Learn:
-
From Intake to Plan B: Address pets at intake, and build a backup plan into any shared arrangement.
-
Why Shared Custody Often Fails: Dogs need consistency, not fairness.
-
Safety Red Flags: When pets become tools of control.
-
Children, Dogs, and Placement Decisions: The dog shouldn't automatically follow the kids.
-
Drafting the Agreement: The five provisions every pet custody agreement needs.
Pet custody disputes can drag on for years when agreements leave the hard questions unanswered. Register now to bring a clear, behavior-informed framework to your next negotiation over who keeps the dog.
Presented by:
Karis Nafte, CDBC
Meet the Presenter
Karis Nafte, CDBC
Founder of Who Keeps the Dog, Pet Custody Mediation
A Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (IAABC No. 6602), Internationally Accredited Family Mediator, and recognized global expert in pet custody matters, Karis Nafte has built her career on compassionate, evidence-based approaches to canine behavior and human-animal relationships over more than 25 years of experience in dog training and behavior consulting. Her expertise spans the range of behaviour from puppy socialization, to separation anxiety and aggression rehabilitation. Her passion is conflict resolution, effective communication, especially around the complex dynamics of pet guardianship during family transitions.
Specializing in resolving pet custody and guardianship disputes during separation and divorce, she provides expert mediation services, behavior consultations, and serves as an expert witness in legal proceedings. Her work addresses the unique intersection of canine behavior, family law, and animal welfare, ensuring outcomes that prioritize the well-being of both animals and their human families. She is also an instructor for the IAABC Foundation, where she teaches a course on communication skills.
Author of Who Keeps the Dog: Navigating Pet Custody During Divorce, published by Dogwise Publishers, she has developed comprehensive training courses for legal professionals, mediators, and pet owners navigating custody matters. She has presented and taught for prestigious organizations including the American Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association, the University of Wisconsin, the Academy for Professional Family Mediators, the Ontario Association for Family Mediators, The Resolution Institute (Australia), and the Family Law Pathways Institution (Australia). Her articles have been published by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Divorce Magazine (UK), the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and The Canadian Dog Trainers Association.
Currently serving on the Working Group on Pets in the UK, she contributes to legislative efforts regarding the treatment of companion animals in divorce proceedings.
Bringing a unique combination of deep canine behavior expertise, mediation skills, and legal knowledge to her work, Karis is a sought-after consultant, educator, and advocate for animals navigating family transitions.
Sponsored by:
