How much do Garden City citizens pamper pets?

Reality Check: Chit Chat ANONYMOUS OPINIONS AND STORIES ABOUT THEIR FUR BABIES (AKA PET DOGS)

My partner and I have two fluffy kids, Thia is a four-yearold Maltese shitzu, the second is Nutley, a cattledogstaffy X who turned three last October. At night time, Thia sleeps in our bed – it usually starts with her at our feet and, as the night goes on, she gets closer and closer to our heads; one of us ends up without a pillow by the morning as she claims it as her own. They get presents for Christmas and

birthdays. For Christmas it's a stocking from Kmart with lots of toys and treats. Nutley rips all of Thia’s toys before she can get to them though. For their birthday’s I usually get them doggie cupcakes or doggie ice-cream from the pet store, Nutley is the only one that eats these treats as Thia wants human food.

Arial is three-years-old and is a Maltese Shiatzu. My daughter refers to her as her sister and is the true animal lover in our family and we are called the same thing as what our children call us. I’ll often say to her “Go to your dad.” She’ll just mosey on over to him. She has her own little house, with a cushy pillow which she shares affectionately with our cat Coda. When it comes to clothing I think she prefers to be nude, no matter what we put on her she strips off, even in winter! We have tried a super cute hoodie but she won’t have it. It’s a pity, she’d look adorable.

My fur babies are all rescues.

There is PJ, a 12-year-old cavoodle, Lou Lou beaglecattledog X 3- years-old and Stella, a beaglefoxie X, we think. They have their own bed in my room but I’m not talking on the floor, they have a futon style double bed type couch. They do influence where I go and what I do having three of them. I even have two car regos. One the dogs are allowed in, and the other they aren’t!

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I’ll have what she’s having

BY ELIZABETH ADAMS, ASSOCIATE –KENNEDY SPANNER LAWYERS

Sometimes when we are sick, we hastily google our symptoms and suddenly we’ve convinced ourselves that we have a rare incurable disease. After a freak out we see a doctor and it turns out it’s just a common cold and we vow never to google our symptoms again. The similar often happens when parties separate. Parties google how their property should be divided or what

arrangements should be made for their children.

Parties also ask their friends and neighbours for advice.

By the time parties see a lawyer they are convinced that after two years together they are entitled to 50 per cent of the property pool.

A parent is convinced that their infant child will live one week with one parent and one week with the other.

As a lawyer, I see first-hand the disappointment arising from a party’s preconceived idea not in reality being achievable.

Often because they have received “legal advice” from someone who is not a lawyer.

In parenting matters, there is no hard and fast rule that a child of any age must live for a week at a time with each parent.

Each family is different, and each child is unique and there are many factors to take into consideration.

By seeing an experienced lawyer at the start of a separation you can be provided with the right advice at the start to help you reach an arrangement that best suits your unique situation. The same applies to property settlements. The contributions and future need factors for your friend’s case may be completely different to the facts of your case.

A property division for a couple who have been together for over 20 years will invariably have a completely different outcome compared to a couple who have been together for only two years. To blindly rely on something you have heard from a friend may very well result in an outcome that is significantly different from what you are entitled to.

Get the right advice first to protect you and your family.

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