What Does the Family Dog Have to Do With It?

In September 2025, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia had to answer the question: how far do the new pet laws actually go? In Wright & Berger [2025] FedCFamC2F 1315, a father didn’t fight for ownership of the family dog — he just wanted it to move between homes along with his daughter. It sounded reasonable.

Since 10 June 2025, the law has allowed only three outcomes for a pet — one owner, a transfer, or a sale. Nothing in between. The judge noted that nothing stops the dog’s owner from allowing that exact arrangement anyway — just not by court order.

It therefore comes down entirely to one’s goodwill. That’s the takeaway whether you’re arguing over a pet or a family trust: fairness isn’t the default setting. A properly drafted agreement is how you put real arrangements in place instead of leaving them to chance — before you’re standing in front of a judge with no options left.