Man Seeks Divorce Over Wife’s Obsession With Stray Dogs — Gujarat High Court Hears Bizarre Marital Dispute

Ahmedabad | November 13, 2025: In a rather unusual case, a 41-year-old man from Gujarat has approached the High Court seeking divorce from his wife on the grounds of cruelty. His allegations include that his wife filled their house with stray dogs, forced him to care for them, and even orchestrated a prank call suggesting he was involved in an extramarital affair.

According to the petition, the couple married in 2006, but within months, tensions began to rise. The husband claims his wife adopted a stray dog despite housing society rules prohibiting pets — and later brought several more into their small apartment. “I had to cook, clean, and look after the dogs. One of them even bit me when I tried to move it from my bed,” he told the court.

Neighborhood Tensions and Public Humiliation

The husband further alleged that due to his wife’s actions, neighbors turned against them, and their housing society grew increasingly hostile. A police complaint was filed in 2008 after repeated disputes. The wife, he said, later joined an animal rights organization and began filing frequent complaints against others.

He also accused her of verbal abuse and public humiliation whenever he refused to accompany her to police stations. The petitioner claimed the continuous stress led to mental trauma and health deterioration, eventually resulting in erectile dysfunction.

The April Fool’s Day Prank

The man said that on April 1, 2007, his wife arranged a prank through a radio jockey who falsely announced that he was having an affair with another woman. “That fake broadcast humiliated me in front of my colleagues and neighbors,” he said, adding that the emotional distress drove him to leave for Bengaluru. However, his wife allegedly continued to harass him through phone calls and social media.

In 2017, the husband filed for divorce in the Ahmedabad Family Court. The wife countered by saying it was her husband who had initially encouraged her love for animals before abandoning her. She presented photographs showing him affectionately playing with the dogs.

Family Court Rejected Divorce Plea

In February 2024, the Family Court dismissed the husband’s petition, ruling that he failed to establish cruelty or desertion. The court also stated that a prank call, though inappropriate, could not be considered a legal ground for divorce.

The husband has now appealed the decision before the Gujarat High Court, arguing that the marriage has “irretrievably broken down.” He has expressed willingness to pay ₹15 lakh as alimony, while the wife has demanded ₹2 crore. The High Court bench has scheduled the next hearing for December 1, 2025.

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