Needless to say when couples split up or divorce and there are children involved, the effect on them is one of the hardest and most talked about aspects. In many cases parents will seek advice on how best to address the short and long term fall out.  But what about Pets, can they be affected by the changes in circumstances, not to mention the emotional consequences of a split?

Well a leading UK veterinary charity, the PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) clearly thinks so and is now urging owners to make the well-being of their pets a central part of the process of agreeing to a separation. Apparently, stressed-out cats and dogs are suffering compulsive disorders as a result of Britain's high break-up rate between couples.

The stress brought about by relationship breakdowns can cause pets to develop obsessive and compulsive disorders, including self-harming. Sean Wensley, senior vet at PDSA says signs of compulsive disorder include "Chasing their own tail or excessive licking of one or more limbs. As a result of such licking, the area can become raw and itchy, which in turn leads to further licking or chewing. Cats can be prone to 'wool sucking' which as the term suggests, involves sucking or chewing on woollen items such as blankets. Other species can also show signs of stress. Parrots, for example sometimes pull out their own feathers after losing a mate or experiencing some other type of trauma."  This of course makes sense, when we know that many pets suffer ordinarily from separation anxiety, even when home life is stable.

Mr Wensley adds that " Self-mutilating behaviour can be brought on by stressful circumstances, or there may be a pre-existing condition which is made worse by the animal's surroundings."  He expands on this saying that cats and dogs, like children, are sensitive to adult human emotions, and when these become tense or unpredictable this can cause the stress-related problems: "A separation or divorce may not only cause logistical issues, such as a dog not being walked as often by one partner as it might have been by two people. Such a situation can result in them developing psycological and behavioural problems which can take a long time to resolve."  Mr Wensley said pet owners had a responsibility to try and establish the most compassionate ways to help pets through the stress caused by a split.

The conclusion? Pets often give unconditional love, but if there has to be a split, a pet cannot choose between two people...they have feelings too, so don't overlook them!

This story was covered in the UK by ITN, Yahoo news and the Daily EXpress.