[toldyou]

Even in a divorce, a dog ends up with one or the other. In fact, I’ve heard of spouses fighting over who gets the family pet.

This is very strange.

[Slings and Arrows]

Maybe one was hurting the other through the dog. I’m not the biggest fan of the human race.

[max americana]

In my circle, we have a divorce attorney who practices in Westwood, in L.A. He told us one time, the other party did NOT want the Maserati but the German Shepherd which was bought from Germany. Those were the times he wanted to switch to personal injury.

[Spirit of Liberty]

Could be both parents were moving into apartments that don’t allow pets. Or maybe with these hard times neither felt they could afford the dog any longer.

[Malone LaVeigh]

I’ve heard of spouses fighting over who gets the family pet.

I knew a couple where the guy kidnapped (dognapped?) the dog and wouldn't return it until he got better terms.

[norton]

Years ago a neighbor died and left an "old" poodle mix behind. The first thing his daughter (executor) did early next morning was to instruct the guy's roommate to haul the dog to the pound. Roomie was virtually paralyzed by the demand.

I took the leash, made an obscene gesture, and took the dog home with me. He gave us eight years of grins and happies.

As to the abandonment of pets due to the economy, it does seem to be higher than in the past. Breeds are also far more varied, used to be pit bulls, both breeders and bait, now I find scared and confused house pets.
(On a positive note, they're usually house broken & don't need surgery.)