Mark Consuelos Says He'd Remain Married to Keep Their Dog Amid Pennsylvania Pet Law Discussion
During a pre-recorded episode of their talk show, Mark Consuelos joked he would stay in a marriage rather than lose their dog Lena, referencing a Pennsylvania bill that would treat pets as family members in divorce cases.
Mark Consuelos told co-host Kelly Ripa that he would prefer to stay in a marriage without affection rather than risk being separated from their dog, Lena. The comment was made during a pre-recorded August 11 segment of their daytime program, which aired while Ripa was recovering from gum-graft surgery. The couple discussed a proposed Pennsylvania law that would reclassify pets as family members for the purpose of divorce proceedings. Ripa noted the bill would "recognize pets as family members, elevating their status in situations such as divorce." Consuelos responded, "I would stay in a loveless marriage just to make sure I could be with Lena every day. That's how much I love Lena." Ripa replied humorously, "Is that all you're asking for, is a loveless marriage? Because that can be arranged," and then said "Done!" The pair also joked about the emotional impact of a potential separation, with Consuelos saying he would "stay up at night" thinking about Lena and Ripa teasing that he might wonder about another man petting the dog. Lena, a Maltese-Shih Tzu mix adopted by the couple in March 2021 after appearing on a pet-adoption segment of the show, frequently appears on camera. The discussion followed the recent death of their previous rescue dog, Chewie, who died in February 2025 at age 17.