Does Your Estate Plan Include Your Pets?
Have you considered your pet or pets when
planning your estate? If not, you should, according to The Humane Society
of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization.
"Since pets have shorter life spans, people
don't think to include them in their estate plans," says Anne Culver,
Director of Disaster Services for the Society. "But animals left homeless
when an owner has failed to make adequate provisions for their care are
distressingly common in animal shelters around the country."
To help pet owners ensure that
that their wishes for their pets' long-term care won't be forgotten,
misconstrued or ignored, The Humane Society has created a five page fact sheet
that provides sample legal language for including pets in wills and
trusts, plus suggestions on protecting pets through a power of attorney.
In addition, the fact sheet contains recommendations for choosing emergency
or permanent caregivers, wallet alert cards for emergency
personnel, emergency decals and caregiver information forms. The fact sheet is
available in English and Spanish.
The Humane Society says that all too often,
people erroneously assume that a long-ago verbal promise from a friend,
relative or neighbor to provide a home for a pet will be sufficient years
later. Even conscientious individuals who include their pets in their
wills may neglect to plan for contingencies in which a will might not take
effect, such as in the event of severe disability or a protracted will
challenge.
Click
here to download the Humane Society's fact sheet entitled
"Providing for your Pet's Future".
Click
here to read Ettinger Law Firm's article on "Estate Planning for Pets - A
Trust for Fluffy?"
