The Pet Custody Mediation Course for Divorce Professionals

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In this six hour course you will learn to apply evidence-based techniques to facilitate amicable pet custody agreements.

Learn to hear the “Voice of the Pet” and dive into the emotional and practical considerations of pet custody.

 Address unique challenges involving rescue dogs, emotional support dogs, and households with multiple pets

Determine when shared custody is appropriate and develop effective plans for different scenarios.

Understand the factors posed by various dog breeds and incorporate them into custody decisions.

Learn to address the humanizing, weaponizing, and bargaining aspects of pet custody.

Gain the skills to become a trusted resource for separating couples navigating pet custody.

“Karis gave an insightful, interesting and helpful presentation on pet custody for the Kentucky Bar Association. The information that Karis shared was at once unique, important and relevant to a wide range of practice areas”.

The Kentucky Bar Association 

The South African Association of Mediators (SAAM) was privileged to have Karis Nafte presenting a 5-hour training course on mediating pet custody disputes to our members. Karis gave the attendees valuable and sensible pointers for mediating pet custody disputes. I didn't realise that there was so much to learn. Karis also shared with us very useful intake questions lists for respectively cats and dogs and model memorandums of understanding for shared and full custody scenarios. As the SAAM Exco member for Training, I would like to thank Karis for such a comprehensive and insightful training course which has equipped the attendees to navigate sensitive situations and facilitate fair resolutions in the best interests of pets and their owners.

Madelene De Jong

The pet custody course is designed for mediators, collaborative divorce professionals and lawyers who want to learn best practice for pet custody.

This online Course runs for three consecutive weeks for 2 hours per session. Each week , you'll participate in live lectures filled with enriching stories and insightful case studies from Karis' extensive experience in pet custody. With intentionally small class sizes, you’ll receive personalized feedback and foster meaningful group interactions, making your learning experience both effective and engaging.

Here’s a peek at the course content:

• Petnups

• Intake forms for comprehensive & useful history of pets

• Considerations for different dog breeds in divorce negotiations

• The impact of shared custody versus sole custody on dogs

• Models for shared custody plans that best suit dogs

• Best practices for transitioning to sole/shared custody + common mistakes to avoid

• Considerations for rescue dogs

• Children and pets

• Emotional support dogs

• Humanizing, weaponizing, and bargaining over pets

• Cats, parrots and other household pets

• Households with multiple pets

• Plans for a dog's end of life

2026 Pet Custody Course details and dates

Course dates 2026:

  • March 31st, April 2nd and 6th

Times:

  • USA 9:00 am to 11:00 am PST

  • UK 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

  • Australia: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm AEDT

  • South Africa 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Cost for individuals:

$695 USD - USA/UK professionals

$695 AUD - Australian professionals

Group discount available.

Contact Karis for payment options

APPLICATION FORM

Graduates of this program are certified as Pet Custody Mediators by Who Keeps the Dog, demonstrating specialized training in guiding families through pet custody decisions during divorce.

This certification is awarded by Who Keeps the Dog, Pet Custody Mediation, and represents completion of our specialized 6-hour training program. Karis Nafte is an approved trainer for the College of Mediators (UK), The Resolution Institute (Australia), and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC, USA). This professional development credential does not constitute a government license or regulatory certification.

  • While Arkansas still considers pets personal property, a growing number of states are beginning to take account of animals’ interests during the divorce process.

    Article by Michelle Strause for the Arkansas Bar Association on pet custody

    Read - Arkansas Bar Association article

  • Who gets the dog in Australia after a separation?

    Written by Jane Libbis Partner at Umbrella Family Law, if you live in Australia, here’s how the law currently stands.

    Jane Libbis - Law in Australia

  • Anyone who works with family pets is likely to end up with clients in the heartbreaking situation of getting a divorce and needing to decide who keeps the dog


    Read - IAABC Journal - Who keeps the dog?

Testimonials from past graduates

  • “Karis really has mastered both the mediation world and animal behavior. She switches hats effortlessly and has produced a valuable course. In doing so, you get to enjoy her warm personality so that learning is a pleasure, not a chore. A great new tool in my toolbox.

    Laura Lorber - Mediator. California

  • "The Pet Mediation training course was so informative. Karis brought decades of knowledge to the course and presented it in a logical understandable manner. She gave us factual information, talked us through case studies and provided her “pre-mediation questionnaire” which was absolute gold. "

    Dari DeSousa, PHR
    Human Resources Consultant/Mediator. California

  • “I would recommend the Pet Custody Mediation Course in the highest terms…Karis was endlessly supportive, providing helpful resources and practical tips and guidance which built confidence amongst the class participants, whilst providing a handy reference pack for practitioners.”

    Dr Jane Bryan, Mediator, United Kingdom

  • “Karis fills the void of information regarding what happens to the family pet, from a behavioral standpoint, when there has been a separation between Owners/Guardians.”

    Marci Kraft - Child Custody Recommending Counselor / Mediator. California

  • I attended a 1-day training with Karis on Pet Custody Mediation. I definitely feel this is a space that is overlooked in the post separation mediation space. I went into this training with no previous exposure to pet mediation (not even realizing it was a thing), however now I feel confident enough to add this into my FDR practice. This confidence is credited to Karis' exceptional knowledge in this space. I highly recommend attending any training or information sessions with Karis."

    Emma Corser - Australia

  • “All of our lawyers recently had the pleasure of completing Karis’s pet custody course and we loved it!…We highly recommend this course to any family law practitioners”.

    Jane Libbis - Umbrella Family Law. Australia

  • “…Her experience as an animal behaviorist and mediator gives her valuable skills and insight. I would recommend this course to anyone involved in conflicts about animals.”

    Liz Rubenstein - Attorney & Mediator. Colorado

  • “I loved this training! Your Pet Custody Webinar was fascinating and not only will I use the information and guidance you provided in my mediation practice…”

    Carloyn Kalos - Mediator. New York

  • “Karis, I watched your webinar today at the ABA Dispute Resolution Mediation Week and it was absolutely outstanding, thank you!”

    Susan Andrews - Attorney & Mediator. Kentucky

  • “I enjoyed the webinar a great deal! Karis is an excellent presenter and the information she provided is unique and thorough.”

    Laura Dadagian-O’Rourke - Mediator. Massachusetts