On 3 November 2026, the Supreme Court of Chile unanimously recognized the cat Perseo as a sentient being and placed him under the sole guardianship of his owner's former partner. This is the first such precedent in the country, where the law still treats animals as movable property.
Perseo, a five-year-old ginger cat, was brought into the home in 2021, when he was only a month old. He was adopted by Polina Torres and Rodrigo Dussarrat in the city of Osorno in southern Chile. After the couple separated, the animal lived between two homes, and the monthly moves caused him severe stress: tremors, loud meowing and even incontinence from fear.
In the first instance, the court established joint custody with the cat being handed over once a month at a police station. Polina appealed the decision, and the appellate court in Valdivia overturned it. The Supreme Court confirmed: the alternation is inadmissible due to the high level of conflict between the former partners and the need to protect the animal's stability.
The judges emphasized that although both parties were responsible guardians, the well-being of Perseo as a being capable of feeling must take precedence over property rights. Chile's Civil Code still classifies animals as "movable things," but the court relied on animal protection provisions.
Polina's lawyer noted that the ruling creates an important precedent: disputes over pets will now take into account not only ownership but also the actual impact of decisions on the animal. Perseo will live only with Polina, without monthly moves.
This case shows how judicial practice is gradually recognizing domestic animals' right to emotional well-being and stability, even when the law still lags behind.
