The Real Victims of Divorce: Constituents

Kerry Howley | July 10, 2007

Wisconsin pioneers dog-focused family law. Where divorcing couples cannot agree on a pet custody arrangement, Rep. Sheryl Albers wants to give judges the power to send pets to the Humane Society. "I wonder what it was that made someone think that they need to have a special statute for this?" asks a local divorce attorney. Blame Albers' hated family Labrador:

Albers hasn't said much about why she introduced the bill, but members of a McFarland family said that Albers has personal reasons -- a messy divorce that involved Albers' husband and a Labrador retriever mix named Sammi.

As part of the divorce, Dane County Circuit Judge Sarah O'Brien ordered that Sammi go with the children as they split time between Symons' and Anders' residences, court records show. Albers wasn't happy with the judge's decision and told the children she didn't like the long, messy hair shed by the dog... 

According to the Wisconsin State Journal's in-depth report on Sammi's Law, this is not the first piece of legislation inspired by Albers' recent split.

Via Bitch Girls.

Comments

|7.10.07 @ 1:39PM|#

If her constituents don't like the proposed statutes she introduces, they can either move or vote her out of office. I see no indication she did anything illegal here.

|7.10.07 @ 1:43PM|#

If there were ever a thread "Gimme Back My Dog" should be forced to comment on, it's this one.

Miggs|7.10.07 @ 1:53PM|#

Wow, the article photo of Rep. Albers' daughter is not very flattering.

|7.10.07 @ 2:05PM|#

Miggs, having looked at the picture, I must berate you; people can't help being born ugly. The poor girl must be teased mercilessly. Leave her alone.

|7.10.07 @ 5:00PM|#

How Solomonic! The judge rules the pet must be sent to the Humane society gas chamber. Then, the first party that says, "No, let my former spouse have it" gets possession of the critter.

|7.10.07 @ 6:17PM|#

a messy divorce that involved Albers' husband and a Labrador retriever

This isn't the first messy divorce involving a Labrador retriever. And it won't be the last.

highnumber|7.10.07 @ 6:21PM|#

That's a bitch!

That statement applies to everyone and everything involved in this story.

Including the picture of poor Megan.

|7.10.07 @ 7:15PM|#

I actually used to know a woman who insisted on a cat custody agreement in her divorce. (Please note that the state is not named here. It wasn't Texas, but that still leaves 49 other possibilities.) It wasn't the first inkling that she wasn't stable, but it was certainly the clearest. Seriously, pets are property and should be treated as such.

Paul|7.10.07 @ 10:07PM|#

According to the Wisconsin State Journal's in-depth report on Sammi's Law, this is not the first piece of legislation inspired by Albers' recent split.

Legislation introduced by a politician with an axe to grind borne of personal issues?

Stop the presses.

Welcome to politics.

|7.10.07 @ 11:27PM|#

This is just one of the reasons our Roaming Catlick Church opposes divorce. It is always the dogs that suffer.

It is because of our principled and unyielding stand on this issue that the Church of English Bulldog broke with us.

griselda|7.14.07 @ 12:16AM|#

Very useful, excellent information..
You might also find it useful to visit my website: http://www.petsmanners.info