SO. If you’ve ever looked at your pet and thought, “You’re not just a pet… you’re my family,” this will hit you right in the heart.

If you’ve ever looked at your pet and thought, “You’re not just a pet… you’re my family,” this will hit you right in the heart.

Pennsylvania just took a big step toward putting that feeling into law.

For a long time, the legal system has treated pets like property. Like a couch, a TV, or a kitchen table. And if you’ve ever loved an animal, you know how wrong that feels.

In late September 2025, the Pennsylvania House passed a bill (House Bill 97) that says companion animals are “living beings” and “cherished family members,” not just inanimate property.

What does that mean in real life?

It mainly shows up during divorce cases. If this bill becomes law, judges would be required to think about the pet’s wellbeing when deciding who gets the animal. Not just who “owns” them on paper.

The bill talks about everyday, real care. Who feeds them. Who takes them to the vet. Who makes sure they’re safe and loved. It even includes a special rule to help keep service animals with the person who needs them.

This is not the kind of story that fixes everything overnight. The bill still needs to move through the rest of the process.

But it’s one of those moments that makes you feel seen as a pet parent.

Because for so many of us, that dog on the couch, that cat in the window, that old rescue who finally trusts you… they are not property.

They’re family.