Until dog do us part.

In Atlanta, Geoie Krull is a devoted dog dad to his two 13-year-old pups. He mentions that they provide support to each other and are in tune with his feelings.

“They’re both angels, and Peyton – she has an incredible ability to empathize,” Krull, 43, explains about his German Shepherd-Labrador mix. “On tough days, she will come and snuggle because she senses something is off.”

However, Peyton and Pixie, a Chihuahua-Italian mix, have been with Krull’s wife, Kellie Coker, long before they met. Coker has cared for them for nearly a decade, and they’ve been through a lot with her. She met Krull in 2020, and they married in November 2023.

The divorce rate in the U.S. has been climbing for years, with about 40% of first marriages ending in divorce, as reported by legal experts. This percentage tends to be higher for subsequent marriages. As more people marry later in life when they possess more personal assets, the tendency to enter into prenuptial agreements is also increasing.

With the growing acceptance of prenuptials—often referred to as prenups—many couples are now including their pets in these legal agreements, as pets are categorized as property.

This is true for Peyton and Pixie, who have a dedicated clause in Krull and Coker’s prenup. Should they ever get divorced, the pups will stay with Coker, their original owner before Krull was in the picture.

“It just seems logical to set this up because every scenario is unique,” Coker, 39, stated.

Defining a Pet Prenup

Before getting married, many couples opt to sign a prenuptial agreement. Without one, if a couple divorces, their state’s laws will enforce a 50/50 split of all assets.

This widespread approach to asset division has been a fixture for generations. In the past, people married at younger ages and typically acquired their shared belongings, such as homes and furnishings, together. Nowadays, individuals often marry later and may already have personal possessions, leading to a growing trend towards thinking critically about finances, according to Julia Rodgers, CEO of HelloPrenup, a service that helps create prenuptial agreements in over 30 states.

“People are marrying later, which means they probably have more assets individually,” Rodgers explains. “Thus, they are more practical about their financial situations.”

Among clients of HelloPrenup, two-thirds reported owning a pet when drafting their prenup, with one-third including the pet in the agreement.

Beyond custody and ownership, pet prenups can outline responsibilities for medical decisions, vet costs, food expenses, insurance, and day-to-day care.

Couples can also address issues like investments, debts, and child custody within their prenups. Recently, the inclusion of pet-related clauses is becoming more popular, largely due to the increasing prevalence of prenups.

“Although we tend to view pets as family members, it’s important to acknowledge that legally, they are regarded as property in most states,” Rodgers commented.

Lessons from a Previous Divorce

Coker experienced one divorce in the past and did not think about getting a prenup during her first marriage. However, after going through that experience, she found having a prenup made complete sense for her second marriage, she said to YSL News.

“Going through that first divorce made me realize the state has procedures for asset division that leave you without a voice,” Coker explained. “The more I researched it, the more I thought it was crucial to have a prenup.”

Krull, who serves in the Air Force, said he has witnessed many of his colleagues, sometimes multiple times, face divorce. He believes a prenup is essential for avoiding chaos if a marriage ends.

Navigating Pet Custody Agreements

In cases like Krull and Coker’s, pets acquired before marriage typically go to the original owner in a divorce, according to Rodgers. For pets obtained during the marriage, more couples are opting to share custody, with 17% of clients from HelloPrenup who had pre-owned pets deciding to split custody in case of divorce.

<p”These days, pets are often regarded as family members, so it’s wise to consider their future when entering a relationship,” Rodgers noted.

In divorce situations where children and pets are involved, pets generally follow the children in custodial agreements, ensuring that kids can maintain their bond with the animal.

For ten years, it was just Peyton and Pixie. Then, they welcomed Binx.

In late May, Krull and Coker were delighted to add a third furry friend to their family when a stray kitten appeared in their backyard trash can. Coker discovered her attempting to munch on a greasy paper towel.

The couple decided to name the kitten Binx, inspired by the cat from the film Hocus Pocus.

Since Binx entered their lives after they were married, Krull and Coker will need to create a postnuptial agreement if they wish to determine who would keep the cat in case of a divorce.

Chuckling during a video interview, Coker mentioned that their prenup includes a clause about “animals,” suggesting that Binx would be categorized under this clause and thus would end up with her should they separate.

“But just to clarify — we are not getting divorced,” Krull said with a laugh. “I’ve truly found my soulmate. Having the prenup just gives us that extra peace of mind.”