Following the landmark ruling in December 2024 that stated it "matters not who paid for the dog," caregiving history has become one of the most relevant factors in UK pet disputes. If you have been the one managing your pet's daily life, that now carries real weight.

But weight in a dispute only comes from evidence. Saying you were the primary carer is not enough. Being able to show it is what matters.

This guide explains what counts as evidence, how to build a caregiving record, and what to do if you are starting from scratch.

Why caregiving evidence matters now

For most of the history of English and Welsh law, pet disputes came down to paperwork. Whoever had the purchase receipt, the microchip registration or the insurance policy in their name tended to keep the animal. Caregiving simply did not factor in.

That has changed. Courts and mediators are increasingly willing to look beyond ownership documents towards who actually looked after the animal day to day. This shift reflects a broader cultural change in how people think about their pets, and it has practical consequences for anyone in a dispute.

If you paid for the pet but your partner walked it every day, took it to every vet appointment and managed its medication, those facts are now relevant. The reverse is equally true: if your name is not on the paperwork but you have been the animal's primary carer, you have a case worth making.

The key word is evidence. Courts do not take people at their word when the stakes are contested. You need documentation.

What counts as caregiving evidence

Evidence of primary caregiving falls into two categories: historical records that already exist, and contemporaneous records you create going forward.

Historical records

These are documents and records that were created in the normal course of caring for your pet, not specifically for the purpose of a dispute. They tend to carry more weight precisely because they were not created strategically.

• Vet records are the strongest single source. Every appointment, vaccination, prescription and procedure generates a record. If your name is on those records as the person who brought the animal in, that is significant. Contact your vet and ask for a full history of appointments. Most practices will provide this readily.

• Prescription and medication records. If your pet takes regular medication, whoever collects prescriptions and purchases medication is creating a paper trail. Pharmacy receipts, repeat prescription records and delivery histories all count.

• Pet insurance records. Who took out the policy, who pays the premiums and whose contact details are on the account all reflect ownership and involvement.

• Grooming, training and boarding records. If you have used a groomer, a trainer or a boarding facility, those businesses will have records of who booked appointments and who dropped the animal off.

• Online shopping history. Food, toys, bedding, leads, supplements. Your purchase history from Amazon, Pets at Home or any other retailer shows sustained financial and practical involvement in the animal's care.

• Banking records. Direct debits for insurance, regular purchases at pet shops, vet payments. A bank statement showing consistent spending on a pet over months or years is meaningful evidence of caregiving.

• Photos and videos. A timestamped camera roll showing you with the animal over an extended period, at home and out on walks, is simple but useful supporting evidence. Most smartphones embed location and date data into photos automatically.

• Social media. Posts, check-ins and tagged photos showing your relationship with the animal over time create an informal but readable record of your involvement.

Contemporaneous records

If your situation is uncertain or a dispute is already developing, start keeping a daily care log immediately. Do not wait.

A care log is a dated, timestamped record of every caregiving activity: walks, feeds, vet visits, medication, grooming, training sessions and any other relevant interaction. The value of a care log is that it is contemporaneous, meaning it was created at the time rather than reconstructed afterwards.

A log written after the fact, or one that starts suspiciously late, carries less weight than one with a consistent daily record going back weeks or months. Start now, even if nothing has been formally disputed yet.

Your log should record the date and time of each activity, what the activity was, any relevant detail such as medication dosage or vet advice given, and who was present. Keep it factual and specific. Avoid commentary about your partner or the dispute. A good care log reads like a professional record, not a personal journal.

Pawsettle's caregiver log tool is designed specifically for this purpose. It timestamps each entry automatically and can generate a formatted PDF report covering any date range you choose. That report can be used in mediation or as a supporting document if a dispute proceeds further.

What to do about the microchip

Microchip registration is often treated as one of the strongest indicators of ownership, even though it does not legally confer title. If your pet's microchip is registered in your partner's name and you are the primary carer, this is worth addressing carefully.

You can apply to have the microchip registration updated to reflect the current primary keeper. The process varies depending on which database the chip is registered with. In the UK the main databases include Petlog, Microchip Central and PetDatabase.

If there is already a dispute, do not attempt to change the registration without your partner's knowledge. This will look like you are acting in bad faith and is likely to count against you. If both parties agree that you are the primary carer, updating the registration together is straightforward and sensible.

If there is no agreement yet, document your caregiving thoroughly and raise the microchip registration as part of your broader discussion or mediation rather than acting unilaterally.

What if you have no records at all

Some people find themselves in a dispute without any formal documentation. Perhaps the pet was always registered in a partner's name. Perhaps all the vet bills went to a joint account. Perhaps the relationship was informal enough that no one thought to create a paper trail.

This is not the end of the road, but it does mean you need to work harder.

• Start with your vet. Even if the account is not in your name, the practice staff may remember you as the person who routinely attended appointments. A letter or statement from a vet confirming your regular involvement in the animal's care is a meaningful piece of evidence, even without a formal record.

• Talk to people who know your relationship with the pet. Dog walkers, neighbours, friends, family members who have seen you care for the animal over time can all provide written statements. These carry less weight than documentary evidence but they contribute to a broader picture.

• Go through your phone. Calls and texts to the vet, to pet supply companies, to boarding facilities. Messages to your partner discussing the pet's care, health or routine. These create a timeline of involvement even without formal documents.

• Check your camera roll. As above, a collection of timestamped photos showing sustained, practical involvement in the pet's daily life is a simple and credible form of evidence.

What to avoid

• Do not delete messages or alter documents. This will almost certainly come to light and will damage your credibility severely.

• Do not prevent your partner from seeing the pet while a dispute is ongoing unless there is a genuine welfare concern. Courts and mediators look poorly on attempts to use the animal as leverage, and it is harmful to the pet.

• Do not make claims you cannot support. If you say you walked the dog every morning for three years, be prepared for that to be tested. Overclaiming weakens the credible parts of your case.

• Do not wait. The longer you leave it before starting to document your caregiving, the harder it becomes to establish a contemporaneous record. If a dispute is developing, start your log today.

How this fits into mediation and court

In most cases, caregiving evidence is used in mediation rather than court. A mediator will look at the evidence both parties bring and use it to help reach a fair agreement. The aim is not to win a case but to establish a clear picture of the animal's life that can inform a sensible arrangement going forward.

If a dispute does reach court, your evidence will be considered alongside the other factors discussed in article one of this series: microchip registration, purchase paperwork, the welfare of the animal and the practical circumstances of both parties.

No single piece of evidence is definitive. A strong caregiving record combined with other supporting documentation makes the most compelling case.

The bottom line

The law has shifted. Caregiving now matters in pet disputes in a way it did not five years ago. But caregiving without evidence is just a claim. Evidence without caregiving is just paperwork.

The strongest position is one where the documents reflect the reality: you have been there, day after day, looking after this animal. If that is true, the job now is to make sure it is provable.

Start your log. Gather your records. And if a dispute is developing, do it today rather than tomorrow.

Pawsettle's caregiver log helps you build a timestamped daily record of your pet's care, exportable as a PDF report. It is not a legal service. For complex or contested disputes, please consult a qualified family solicitor.