India, Feb. 24 -- In a break from norm, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra taking her former partner-lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai-to court seeking interim custody of her Rottweiler Henry gained prominence recently over her fiery interventions against the government. Indeed, cases of estranged couples - married or otherwise - fighting for ownership of their pets are a new challenge lawyers face.

Seated in her Fort office, lawyer Swapana Kode recently found herself in an animated conversation on the phone with her client who had decided to part ways with her husband after many years of marriage on mutual consent but the bone of contention between them was their cat Coco. Differences over property and other assets were ironed out, but the two ...