Paws for Thought – What happens to my pets when I die?

With over 17 million household in Britain owning at least one pet, providing for them after death in our Wills has become a concern for our animal loving nation. Like many people you consider your pets to be part of your family and you want to make sure they’re taken care of after you’ve gone.

Under law in England and Wales pets are considered as property and are therefore part of your estate like any other property you own.  This means you can use you Will to leave them as a gift to someone to care of them in your absence.

When deciding on a guardian for your pets it’s a good idea to choose someone you know and trust. You probably want to select someone who will love and provide for your pets like you would. This person will become your pet’s new owner, and will be responsible for providing food, shelter, vet care, and companionship.   If you have several pets, consider if you want one person to care for all of them, or if you want to send them to separate homes.

You can leave some money in your Will towards the care of your pets after you have gone.  Another option is to set up a trust leaving money to trustees of your choice for the maintenance and wellbeing of your pet. Once your pets have died the trust would come to an end and any leftover money can go to the beneficiary of your choice.

If there’s no one in your life you trust to look after your pets, you may consider naming a shelter or rescue group as their beneficiary.  We would always recommend checking the animal shelter’s policy

If you would like to make sure your pets are carried for you in your Will, we’d be happy to help – get in touch today