Estate Planning for Your Pets

A sad looking dogPhoto by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

Do you have a will? Do you have a living will? These are two documents that anyone of any age should consider making. You never know. You could be in an accident later today or get a devastating terminal diagnosis. If you can tolerate thinking about these things when you are able-bodied and of sound mind, your wishes have a greater chance of being followed. If you don’t have a plan, your pet may be given to whoever receives your estate, whether they want the pet or not. Or the pet might just go to a random shelter.

Living Will

A living will, advance healthcare directive, personal directive, or advance decision is a legal document that spells out your wishes for medical treatment if you are incapacitated. People sometimes request not to be resuscitated if they have a heart attack. They also might request no feeding tubes, not ventilators, or ask for specific medical interventions.

Will

A woman petting a sad looking dogPhoto by Adam Griffith on Unsplash

A will is a legal document that determines what you wish for your estate after you die. In the eyes of the law, your pets are considered part of your estate and are your possessions. If you have a pet that is expected to have a long life, you should definitely think about care for your pet if it should outlive you.


Even if you are young and your pet is old, this is still something to think about and plan for. You are the entire world for your pet. If something should happen to you, they would be devastated and they would need someone to care for them.


Perhaps a reptile may not have the emotional reaction of losing its owner that a dog, bird, pig, or other more cuddly animals. But the reptile still needs to have the correct habitat, humidity, light, and temperature. Other animals may need emotional support in addition to care as they grieve for your loss. As a pet owner, you should think about this and plan for it.


Just as with a guardian for a child, you would need to choose a suitable guardian for your pet. If you have multiple pets, you need to consider keeping them together if they are bonded. Who do you know that would be able to take on this responsibility? Talk to them, get their agreement to be your pet’s guardian, and keep them informed about your pet’s care. It’s ideal if they can visit your pet often so the human and pet know each other. 


You should consider having a backup guardian, in case your first choice is unable to take responsibility when the time comes. You also need to set aside money for your pet’s care. Think about how much it costs to care for your pet a year and then consider how many years a guardian might have to keep your pet. These are all just estimates, of course. Be aware that the money is not given to your pet - it is given to the guardian. The guardian can spend the money on anything they want.


Of course, you all hope it will never come to the guardian needing to take your pet. But planning ahead for this possibility can make a traumatic situation go a bit more smoothly. 


Trust

A woman with a Macaw on her shoulderPhoto by Luiz Fernando: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-wearing-black-spaghetti-strap-crop-top-wearing-brown-cardigan-3029730/

Setting up a trust for your pet is more complicated than putting your pet in your will, but it is safer. If you have full trust in your pet’s guardian, just putting them as guardian in your will is enough.


But if you want to control and guarantees that your pet will be cared for properly, then you need to make a trust. Setting up a trust is more expensive and complicated than just putting your pet in your will, but it is much more secure for your pet.


You put aside a certain amount of money in a trust and that money can only be used for your pet’s needs. A trust includes the names of all of your pets, what their care needs are, who is going to be the guardian, who is the backup guardian, and who is the trustee. The trustee is responsible for making sure that the trust is followed.


If you don’t have a friend, relative, or other individual to take your pet if you are gone, then you can make arrangements with a shelter or sanctuary.  It’s even more important to have a trust to pay the sanctuary and a trustee to keep tabs on your pet if it goes to live in a sanctuary. The ASPCA, a local vet school, private sanctuaries and rescues, and pet retirement homes are all places that can take your pet after you pass. If you leave instructions and money for the care of your pet, you can be sure that it will be put to good use, and your pet will thrive, even if you can’t be there for it.


Conclusion

Even if you are young and your pet’s life span isn’t that long, it’s a good idea to think about what would happen to your pet if you weren’t around anymore. If you are of advanced years and/or your pet has a long life expectancy, it is really important that you take measures to ensure your pet will be well taken care of after you are gone.

You can appoint a guardian for your pet and leave money for the care of your pet to that person. If you have a lot of trust in that person, that’s all you need to do. It’s best to have a back up guardian and to have all of your pets go to one place.


You can also make a trust for your pet where a trustee is named who will ensure that your pet has the right kind of care. This is more expensive and complicated than just putting your pet in your will.


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