What happened: Spain enacted a new animal welfare law which has been put to effect from Jan 5 onwards and states that pets are no longer ‘objects’ but sentient beings. Details: The new law has been established in the light of ensuring a pet’s wellbeing and feelings when a couple divorces or splits up, according to sources. Reuters reported that this boosts the case for couples seeking shared custody of their pets. “Animals are part of the family,” lawyer Lola Garcia, 42, told Reuters, “and when a family decides to separate, the fate of the animal must be governed with the same importance as the fate of other family members.” What else: According to PetGuide.com, “determining things like visiting rights and joint custody” for something that the law only recognises as property can be difficult, if not impossible. Pet owners all around the world are looking for similar reforms in the near future as a result of Spain’s decision.