Division of community property: pet animals.

Existing law generally requires a court in a judgment of dissolution of marriage or judgment of legal separation of the parties to make a property division that equally divides the community estate of the parties, except as otherwise specified. This bill would authorize a court, upon request of a party to proceedings for dissolution of marriage or for legal separation of the parties and notwithstanding other requirements for dividing the community estate of the parties, to assign sole or joint ownership of a community property pet animal taking into consideration the care of the pet animal. The bill would authorize a court, also upon the request of a party, to order a party to care for the pet animal prior to the final determination of ownership.