Mark Consuelos told viewers of "Live with Kelly and Mark" that he would rather remain in a "loveless marriage" than risk losing custody of the couple's dog, Lena, in a hypothetical divorce. The comment came during a discussion of proposed Pennsylvania legislation that would reclassify pets as family members rather than property in divorce proceedings, prompting the light-hearted exchange between Consuelos and his wife, Kelly Ripa, about how they might divide custody of their pet.

Lena, a Maltese and Shih Tzu mix, was adopted by the couple in 2021 after appearing in an on-air pet adoption segment, joining their older dog Chewie, who died last year aged 17. Ripa also used the segment to reiterate her longstanding advocacy for pet adoption. The pair, who have been married for 30 years and share three children, have frequently discussed their pets on the show since 2007.