While we hope to remain there for our pets throughout their entire lives, unforeseen circumstances can put your furry friends in a difficult situation. In the event of your sudden passing or incapacity, it is critical to have a plan in place that helps provide the support and care your pets need.
Working with an estate planning lawyer can help you develop a simple or even a comprehensive plan for how your pets will be cared for if something happens to you.
There are a few key concerns covered in basic pet estate planning. These include:
- Preventing a burden such as forcing family members to step into care for pets when they are unwilling or unable to do so. You can include both a plan of care as well as financial support for your pet’s care in your plan.
- Continuity of care, which ensures that your pets continue to receive the support that they need, if and when something happens to you. By having a plan for potential incapacity, such as a sudden illness, hospital stay, or recovery from an accident or disability, you make it easy to prevent health problems or other issues with your pets.
- Avoiding shelters. If there’s no express plan created in advance, your pets may end up in a shelter. By working with a lawyer to come up with an estate planning strategy, you can avoid this and have greater confidence that your wishes will be respected.
Need help documenting your plans for your pet estate plan? Contact our office today. Our Pasadena estate attorneys can assist you.
