If you have pets, there is good reason to be concerned about what happens to them after you pass away. For some of us, our pets are like family. Many times after an owner dies, the personal representative and/or heirs will surrender the pets to a local animal shelter. Sadly, many of our pets are not able to find new ‘forever’ homes.

So what can you do to ensure your pets are cared for?

Select Care Takers

Start by determining who will care for your pet if something happens to you. This could be a spouse, a child, another relative or a friend. Discuss your wishes with your chosen caretaker. Make certain they agree to assume responsibility for your pet. If no one in your life fits the bill, consider a local or national charitable or humane organization.

Determine the Yearly Cost to maintain and care for your Pet(s)

Include language in your Last Will and Testament

Again, you cannot use your will to leave money or property to your pet. If you try, that money or property will be included in your residuary estate,

In addition to providing the name and address of a trustee and successor trustee, a caregiver and successor caregiver (all of whom can be corporations and/or individuals) you will be asked to provide enough information to:

• Adequately identify your pets in order to prevent fraud, such as through photos, microchips, DNA samples, or alternatively, by describing your pet as a “class”—in other words, as “the pet(s) owned by you at the time of your illness/death;

• Describe in detail your pet’s standard of living and care;

• Require regular inspections of your pet(s) by the trustee;

• Determine the amount of funds needed to adequately cover the expenses for your pet’s care (generally, this amount cannot exceed what may reasonably be required given your pet’s standard of living) and specify how the funds should be distributed to the caregiver;

• Determine the amount of funds needed to adequately cover the expenses of administering the pet trust;

• Designate a remainder beneficiary in the event the funds in the pet trust are not exhausted;

• Provide instructions for the final disposition of your pet (for example, via burial or cremation).

Have questions or concerns about your estate planning? Contact us to discuss further:

E.M. Curran Legal LLC

10 Tower Office Park
Suite 314
Woburn, MA 01801
Phone: 781-933-1542
Fax: 781-933-1549