Pets fulfill emotional deficit after broken relationship: Mumbai Court rejects husband's argument to reduce maintenance for wife's pet dogs

Pets fulfill the emotional deficits that ensue after relationships break, remarked a Mumbai court recently while rejecting a man's argument to reduce the maintenance money payable to his estranged wife, which also included an amount needed to maintain her three dogs. .A metropolitan magistrate at Bandra made the observation while allowing a interim application for maintenance filed by a 55-year-old woman under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (DV Act). .Her husband had contested the application by pointing out that the woman had sought maintenance for her three pet Rottweiler dogs as well. Metropolitan Magistrate Komalsing Rajput did not agree with the husband's argument that this could not be a ground to claim maintenance. ."Pets are also part and parcel of descent lifestyle. Pets are necessary for human beings to lead healthy life as they fulfill the emotional deficit occurred on account of broken relationships. Therefore, this can not be ground to mitigate the maintenance amount," the judge said..The main plea filed by the woman through Advocate Shweta Moray levelled allegations of domestic violence against her husband. The present application was moved seeking a maintenance of ₹70,000 per month..The court partly allowed the plea on June 20 and directed the husband to pay ₹50,000 as interim maintenance to the wife till the disposal of her main case. .The court passed the order after noting that both parties had sound financial background. There was no concrete material supporting the husband's claim that he had suffered any business losses. Further, the Court opined that the maintenance granted to the wife should align with her lifestyle and other requirements. .The woman had sought for interim maintenance on the ground that she had no source of income, and was suffering from ill health. She also informed the court that she had three Rottweiler dogs who were dependent on her. .The Court noted that the couple had married in 1986 and had two daughters, who had settled abroad. Differences arose between the couple in 2021 and the estranged husband allegedly sent his wife to Mumbai, while assuring her that he would provide maintenance and other basic necessities, the Court recorded. The wife alleged that this promise was not followed..She further claimed that the man had indulged in domestic violence against her when they were together.She justified her maintenance amount by stating the man had been running a business in another metro city and had other sources of income. The estranged husband claimed that he had paid certain amounts to her in the intervening period..From the documents submitted, the magistrate concluded that the woman had succeeded in making out a prima facie case of commission of domestic violence against the husband and she was, thus, entitled to interim maintenance.