Pet estate planning: Not
just for Leona Helmsley anymore
Books, websites, lawyers make the process
easy for people who really love their animals
Sue Manning from the Associated Press has written a valuable
article on estate planning in regards to
your pet. This article was further studied on the
Today Show. The link to the article is below, but
before you go there Loving Touch would like to remind you
that it is also a good idea to share some of your intentions
for your pet(s) in case of your passing in written form with
your vet- namely who to contact to care for your pet
temporarily (e.g. a family member, trusted friend or your
pet's breeder). Ask your vet to include this paperwork
in your pet's chart.
In the case of an unexpected passing of an owner- friends, family or neighbors sometimes bring the pet into the vet for boarding while things are 'straightened out'- unaware that arrangements have been previously made by the owner. It can be days before these arrangements are made known through disclosure of a will or trust documents. This can be remedied by a letter simply stating that in the event of the owner's passing, they wish for the pet to be temporarily cared for by a named person until their wishes made through their estate can be made known.
In this way, in the case of your passing, should your pet be brought in by friends, family or neighbors who may be ignorant of your wishes, we can share that information with them. Such a letter cannot be enforced by your vet, does not guarantee that the person bringing in your pet will abide by it, nor that the person you name to care for your pet will be willing to do so- but it can help make a difficult and chaotic time a little less so for your pet.
Click on the link below to read the full article:
