For many loving pet owners, a lingering fear may exist in the back of your mind: what will happen to your pets if you aren’t there to care for them any more? Collins Law Group can help you to make certain there is a good answer to this question so your pets are protected even if you can’t be there to care for them yourself as you would wish to.
Far too many companion animals end up in shelters, or worse, if something happens to their owners. It is in your hands to protect your pets from this fate. Call Collins Law Group today at 310-677-9787 to speak with a California pet planning lawyer about creating your personalized plan. You can also get answers to questions you have about the pet planning process, including:
- When should I make a pet plan?
- What should be part of the pet planning process?
- How can a pet planning lawyer help?
When Should I Make a Pet Plan?
Pet owners should make plans for the continued care of their animals as soon as they bring a pet into their home. Your pet becomes your responsibility from day one, and your animal is dependent upon you from day one to provide food, medical care, and a loving home and companionship. You never know when fate will make it impossible for you to provide these things, so you should have a plan in place right away to name someone who can fill the caregiver role in your stead.
Pet planning is important regardless of your family status. If you are single, you need to ensure someone you trust will allow your pet to move into their home and can provide care for the animal. If you are married or have a partner, you need to prepare for the possibility that something could happen to both of you and leave your pet vulnerable. You also cannot assume that concerns about finding a pet caretaker won’t be an issue until you are a senior, as tragic accidents and unexpected illnesses afflict young people far too frequently.
Collins Law Group will assist you in getting your pet planning done so no matter what else is happening in your family or future, you can be confident your pets won’t lose the chance for a safe home and a secure life.
What Should be Part of the Pet Planning Process?
The extent to which pet owners go to provide for their animals is going to vary based on many factors, including your financial situation and your personal determination regarding what quality of life you owe your animals.
For some pet owners, naming a guardian is enough. Naming a guardian means making your preferences known on who should begin caring for your pet if something happens to you. This isn’t something you should surprise the new guardian with, so be sure to speak with them when you name them in your will or other pet planning documents. You should also have a backup guardian, because your chosen caregiver could experience unexpected life situations of his or her own which make providing care for your pet impossible.
Many pet owners wish to go further than just deciding who will provide future care for a pet. It is very common for pet owners to want to leave money behind to care for their animals and enrich their animal’s quality of life. Of course, your pets cannot directly inherit or make their own spending choices, so you must be smart about how you leave money to your pets.
One of the best ways to provide financially for a companion animal is to create a trust. Your trust document you use to create the trust can provide detailed instructions for the use of the funds, and the trustee is bound by law to follow your requirements and use the trust funds as you intended. This could mean using the money for vet care, to provide a specific treat, to pay for doggy daycare, or more.
Collins Law Group can assist you in evaluating how far you want to go in your pet planning process and we can guide you through using the legal tools you believe are important in providing for your pet.
How can a Pet Planning Lawyer Help?
Collins Law Group is trusted by animal lovers to help them care for companion animals. To find out more about how a California pet planning lawyer can provide assistance with your process of keeping your furry or feathered family members safe, give us a call at 310-677-9787 or contact us online today.
