Divorced Couple Duke It Out Over Frozen Dog Sperm

April 9, 2009— -- When you start fighting about frozen dog sperm, you know the relationship isn't headed anywhere good.

Two divorcees who once had an amicable, post-divorce relationship and business partnership are each claiming ownership of valuable frozen semen taken from three stud-worthy Bullmastiffs, two of which are deceased.

While dog breeding can be a serious hobby and, in some cases, the foundation for a business, the quarrel over the frozen sperm of Cyrus, Romeo and Regg has prompted more than a few chuckles in the Pontiac, Mich., courthouse where the case is playing out.

"The first thing I said is, 'Am I being Punk'd?" Oakland County Circuit Court Family Judge Cheryl Matthews told ABCNews.com. "I mean, come on."

"At the time people in the courtroom were roaring when they argued the motion," Matthews said.

But Karen and Anthony Scully are quite serious.

"It's something I've been a part of for a long time and they are important to me," Anthony Scully said of his dogs.

The two, who divorced in 2002 but went on to run a kennel together, were in court Wednesday responding to a motion filed by Anthony Scully over ownership of several dogs when Karen Scully requested the frozen semen during the course of her oral argument.

Frozen sperm can be banked for years to use in breeding.

When the couple divorced, they agreed to split up their six dogs. But, according to Anthony Scully's motion, his ex-wife moved to Florida and abandoned all six, later taking custody of two female Bullmastiffs that had been bred from two of the couple's dogs.

Bullmastiffs are among the biggest dogs in the world, weighing in excess of 100 pounds, some coming in close to 200 pounds.

The American Kennel Club requires the signatures of all co-owners when a dog is bred in order for the resulting puppies to be AKC-registered, which significantly ups the puppies' value and standing and allows them to be shown at sanctioned dog shows.