Boston lawyer specializes in pet custody battles after breakups

A Boston lawyer is making a name for himself as “the dog lawyer,” by finding solutions for pet owners fighting over custody of their canines. 

Jeremy Cohen specializes in pet custody cases, advocating in court for people fighting to keep their four-legged family members after relationships end. 

Taking a pet custody battle to court

When Brett Lyman went through a breakup a few years ago, he and his ex didn't have the usual conversation about who gets the house or how to divide up furniture. Instead, the heart of the dispute came down to their beloved dog, Teddy. 

“I just felt like he would be better off having both of us be there as an option,” Lyman said. 

For years, the former couple managed to share custody of Teddy, amicably splitting time with him. But the arrangement abruptly ended one day when Lyman's ex decided she was keeping the dog for good. 

“It's tough, not realizing that the last time I dropped him off that, afterwards thinking, was that the last time I'm ever gonna see him?” he said. “I think for anyone that's a difficult, it's not a fun feeling.” 

That's when Lyman turned to Cohen. 

“I gave my word, essentially, to my pet. It's my obligation that I am going to care for him or her, my cat, dog, horse, and suddenly, I'm not being able to do that. And people feel that the pet doesn't understand why. I don't want them to think I just abandoned them,” Cohen said. 

Entire legal team devoted to pet-related cases

Legal battles over who keeps the pet after a breakup are more common than you'd think.

Cohen has an entire team of lawyers at his firm focused on pet-related cases. In fact, every employees is required to be a pet owner. 

A dog owner himself, Cohen says the cause is close to his heart. 

“I don't smile that often, but I know it's a sincere smile when I can feel it right here. Boy, when you return a pet to the owner and they send you a video, or you're there for it, or you get that decision from the court in the mail or online, it is a happy day,” he said. 

In Lyman's case, after more than a year apart and a tense legal fight, the judge ordered him and his ex to split time with Teddy 50-50

Cohen was able to prove Lyman and his ex split purchases, vet bills, and even care and attention evenly.

“We all have different things that are important to us, and for me, my dog is very important to me,” Lyman said. “To be reunited with him, was a big thing to me.”