Court File and Parties
CITATION: Burton v. Harrison, 2026 ONSC 4350
SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE - ONTARIO
RE: Alisa Burton, Applicant
AND:
Steven Harrison, Respondent
BEFORE: The Honourable Justice J. Mountford
COUNSEL: Aalisa Burton, Self-Represented
David Sherman, Counsel for the Respondent
HEARD: In person
ENDORSEMENT
1This is a motion for household chattels and for return of “Maui”.
2The Applicant is now self-represented and wishes to have counsel and to file materials on the motion regarding household chattels.
3The motion regarding household chattels is adjourned to a placeholder date of August 26, 2026 (on the basis of Ms. Junger not being available after 3:30). The Applicant shall have until August 14 to file her materials.
4That leaves the issue of Maui, and I have determined that this issue will not linger any longer.
5Maui is a cat.
6I have previously ruled on a similar case regarding a similar request as to “Garfield”.
7The law in this province is clear that pets are property.
8Our family courts are backlogged. It can take months to get before a judge for an initial case conference for important issues such as where children will live, how will they be supported, where will they go to school and who will make important decisions about them. Trials in Hamilton are being set for September 2027, and it is July 2026. The system is struggling to assist the children of parents who have separated.
9Yet here we are with two very experienced counsel arguing over Maui the cat. One is spending his client’s funds to do so, the other is being paid by the government. The court is funded by the government.
10This is an abomination.
11In this case, the OCL has weighed in and filed an Affidavit which includes exhibits. The exhibits are photographs of Maui the cat, and Maui the cat with one of the children, and a greeting card from Maui the cat to one of the children. Yes, you read that correctly, a greeting card from Maui the cat to one of the children.
12The Office of the Children’s Lawyer in Ontario is very busy. They have to refuse to assist many families, and consequently many children, in this province because they are overloaded with requests. Yet here we are with senior counsel and a very experienced social worker with 30 years of experience expending valuable OCL resources on an affidavit for the possession of a cat, and including not just photos of the cat with the child (as if the court would not accept at face value that the child loves the cat) but also a greeting card which is presented as if Maui the cat sent this card to the child.
13Priorities and proportionality have been lost. How much time was billed to the OCL or the Respondent for this? Now this issue is taking up court time.
14This cat has been with the child since separation in 2023. The father claims ownership of it as it was a gift. But his daughter has been caring for this cat for 3 years and she does not spend any parenting time with him. His own evidence is that he left the cat behind on separation. In other words, he left it to his child, C. Now he wants it back!
15I have two words of advice to the father: grow up!
16Maui the cat has been with the child, C., since separation and this court is not about to make any order returning it. If I had to make an order as to ownership of this property, I would use my parens patriae jurisdiction to order that the cat has been gifted to the child, C.
17The motion regarding Maui the cat is dismissed.
18I wish I could order costs to the child C. but this is not possible.
19The Respondent father shall pay costs to the Applicant mother in the amount of $1,000.00 which I hope will be used to benefit C. who is the real victim of this motion.
Justice J. Mountford
Released: July 24, 2026
CITATION: Burton v. Harrison, 2026 ONSC 4350
COURT FILE NO.: FC-23-1275-0000
DATE: 2026/07/24
ONTARIO
SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE
BETWEEN:
Alisa Burton Applicant
AND:
Steven Harrison Respondent
ENDORSEMENT
J. Mountford, J
Released: July 24, 2026