Who Keeps the Dog? Mediator helps separating couples navigate the emotional battle over pet custody

What happens to pets when couples separate or divorce?

That’s where Karis Nafte steps in, a globally recognised expert in the fast-growing field of pet custody mediation.

With more than 25 years of experience in dog behaviour and family mediation, Nafte helps separating couples resolve disputes over who keeps the pet, always prioritising the animal’s well-being above all else.

She is the founder of Who Keeps the Dog?, a mediation service that guides divorcing couples toward fair and compassionate custody agreements for their beloved pets.

Although based in Cape Town, Nafte works with clients around the world, conducting online sessions across the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Australia.

Her approach centres on the principle that every decision should reflect the pet’s best interests, not the owners’. She considers factors such as a pet’s temperament, breed, age, health, routine, and need for stability before recommending a custody arrangement.

Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, Nafte said pet custody mediation has become a booming industry.

“Every two minutes in the United States, a divorce is filed, and more than 60% of those divorces involve an animal,” she explained.

“The question is, what do you do? Who keeps the dog? We cannot pretend a dog is a child that should be treated like a child in a divorce. That’s not really loving a dog, that’s imagining it to be something it’s not.”

Listen to the interview in the audio player below.