British couples urged to consider getting a ‘pre-pup’ to decide who keeps the pet after a break-up

Till death do us paw-t!

The agreement, inspired by a traditional prenuptial agreement, would see couples thrash out everything from ownership and vet bills to who gets custody of the animal before they even bring it home.

It comes after new research found nearly a third of couples who have separated ended up arguing over who should keep their pet.

Despite the potential for a messy custody battle, just 13 per cent of couples said they had discussed what would happen to their pet if they split before committing to getting one.

Compare the Market has now teamed up with family lawyer Tracey Moloney, known online as The Legal Queen, to create a “Pre-Pup Guide” encouraging couples to have the potentially awkward conversation in advance.

And judging by the findings, it might save a few arguments.

Some 47 per cent of Brits believe they should keep their pet if they separated from their current partner, while just 13 per cent said it should go to whoever spends the most time looking after it.

For some couples, deciding who gets the dog could even prove more difficult than sorting out the house or money.

Of those who had argued over a pet following a separation, 53 per cent said the disagreement was more difficult than arguments over money, while 32 per cent said it was worse than disputes over property or possessions.

More than one in five Brits also said giving up their pet would be harder than giving up their home.

The “pre-pup” conversation doesn't just cover what happens when a relationship goes south.

Couples are also encouraged to agree who will pay for food, insurance and unexpected vet bills, as well as who takes responsibility for feeding, walking, training and appointments.

Money is already causing friction among pet-owning couples, with 29 per cent saying they have argued about the cost of their animal.

Almost a third also admitted hiding, exaggerating or playing down how much they had spent on their pet to their partner.

Moloney said: “When a relationship breaks down, pets can become a surprisingly difficult point of disagreement.

“Unlike financial assets, a pet is a living, emotional part of the family, which can make decisions about where they should live particularly challenging.”

And anyone hoping their partner would ultimately choose them over the dog may want to look away now.

Some 57 per cent of pet owners said that, in a hypothetical choice between the two, they’d pick the pet.