- A New York City lawyer is suing his ex-boyfriend, also a lawyer, for custody of a miniature poodle.
- The couple purchased the dog — Raven — together in 2020, but broke up last month.
A New York lawyer is suing his former boyfriend, also a lawyer, for custody of their miniature poodle and more than $200,000 in damages, according to an affidavit published by the Daily Beast.
According to the affidavit, Taylor Leighton, who works for Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, is seeking the recovery of Countess Raven, a three-year-old black miniature poodle.
The dog, purchased in 2020 from a Minnesota-based breeder, was named after actor Raven-Symoné and "Countess" Luann de Lesseps of "The Real Housewives of New York City," the affidavit said.
The affidavit noted that the dog was purchased from a breeder for $2,791, including a $300 deposit.
In the affidavit, Leighton argued that although Nathan Greess contributed $2,000 toward the purchase, it was only because he owed money for household expenses.
The couple broke up last month, with Leighton claiming it was over his reluctance to commit to marriage.
Leighton argued in the legal document that he was Raven's "primary caretaker" and that they shared a "unique, personal bond" forged by the time he spent with her before his ex-boyfriend woke each morning.
To underscore his commitment to the dog, he wrote in the affidavit how he planned an "extravagant first birthday party" for Raven.
"I spent several days planning and decorating, including blowing up hundreds of balloons and placing decals on the wall to give Raven a special day," he said, adding that he was "one of those crazy pet parents."
He also said in the affidavit that he had not seen the dog since March 10, the day after, he claimed, an altercation led to him being admitted to the hospital and the police being called.
"It has now been more than a month since I have been able to see Raven and I know that this is causing her undue stress and anxiety," Leighton said. "It is certainly causing me extreme anxiety, stress, and depression."
In the affidavit, he also described Raven as more than just a pet: "I consider her to be my child."
Neither Greess nor Leighton immediately responded to Business Insider's requests for comment.
According to Scripps News, pet custody battles have been steadily increasing as a trend over the past few decades. The news channel said that they have become so prevalent that pet-custody mediators now offer "pet-nups."
Leighton said in the affidavit that he had tried to resolve the situation, with the pair's fathers acting as intermediaries, but both had now retained legal counsel.
According to the news outlet, in addition to custody, Leighton is seeking $100,000 for intentional infliction of emotional distress, $100,000 for negligent infliction of emotional distress, and $7,791 for the purchase of Raven and the cost of her care.
Leighton also requested that a judge order Greess to share custody of the dog until a final determination is reached, according to the Daily Beast.