Peggy the Pet Mediator

I've been telling a lot of people about our pet mediation services recently.  I'm getting a lot of interesting responses.  Some think its great - especially family law attorneys who have had experience with couples who can't settle their marital disputes because of the pets.  One friend told me they actually had to go to trial over custody of the dog - only the husband was ultimately too embarrassed to face the judge over the issue and settled the morning of trial.

I'm working on The Pet Lover's Guide to Mediation, a helpful booklet that will guide you through the mediation process and why it's better than leaving the decision to a judge.  It should be available soon and you can look for it hear and on Amazon.com.  

If you want to know a little more about my background, my name is Peggy R. Hoyt.  I'm a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court mediator.  I've been practicing law for almost twenty years - primarily in the areas of estate planning, elder law and pet planning.  I've been a mediator and a FINRA arbitrator for more than half of my legal career.  I graduated from Stetson University with my B.B.A., M.B.A. and J.D. 

I love pets - I have 13 of them.  I have three adopted horses - two mustangs and one Premarin rescue, six dogs including a service puppy in training and four rescued cats. 

I see the need to help families with their pet related issues resolve them outside of the court system.  These are issues that require creative, resourceful, solutions.  It allows the parties to craft their own decisions and find the right solution.  Don't leave the future of your pet up to a judge - use a mediator and decide for yourself. 

Pet Custody - As Important to Some as Child Custody

More and more couples are fighting over the custody of their pets when a relationship ends. Here's a recent story. Courts can be unpredictable in the resolution of disputes related to pets. There isn't any statutory law and reported cases may also be limited. Pet mediation would offer couples an alternative to resolving their pet related disputes without the interference and expense of a lengthy court proceeding. for more information, send your inquiry to Info@petdisputes.info.