Custody battles aren’t just about kids anymore - they’re about pets. In this episode, the team at Shewmaker & Lewis dives into the emotional and legal complications that arise when couples split up and both want the dog, cat… or parrot.

Attorneys Steve and Patty Shewmaker are joined by Alexa and Jimmy Lewis for a candid (and sometimes hilarious) discussion about pet custody during divorce, how courts treat animals, and the surprising ways some couples weaponize their pets. Featuring the firm’s own rescue cat, Adeline, this episode blends compassion, strategy, and a little cattiness of its own.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:
• How Georgia law treats pets in divorce (hint: it’s not like kids)
• Real-life stories of couples fighting over animals
• Why pets can become emotional leverage in custody disputes
• Tips for protecting your rights to a pet during separation
• What to do if your ex keeps the pet out of spite
• Adeline the cat’s origin story - and her opinion on all of this

⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Adelaide the Cat Makes an Entrance
01:15 – When Pets Become Pawns in Divorce
04:20 – What Georgia Law Says About Pet Custody
07:10 – Real Cases: Who Gets the Dog?
10:22 – Emotional Leverage: Using Pets to Get to a Spouse
13:45 – Should Pets Be Treated Like Property?
16:10 – Legal Tips for Pet Ownership in Divorce
19:25 – Adelaide’s Story & Office Mascot Status
21:40 – Wrap-Up: Compassion, Courts, and Cats

👨‍⚖️ Hosted by Shewmaker & Lewis, Atlanta-based attorneys helping families navigate divorce, custody, and criminal defense - with zero billboards and zero BS.

🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more.

👉 Visit us at https://www.shewmakerandlewis.com for legal resources, case consultations, and future podcast updates.

📩 Contact: sshewmaker@shewmakerandlewis.com

🎙 Produced by Bleeding Edge in Atlanta, GA.