{"id":1916,"date":"2022-10-03T17:08:28","date_gmt":"2022-10-03T17:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/?p=1916"},"modified":"2022-10-03T17:08:28","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T17:08:28","slug":"can-i-put-my-pet-in-my-will","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/can-i-put-my-pet-in-my-will\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Put My Pet in My Will?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/iStock-155420900-2000x1333.jpg\" alt=\"Putting your pet in your will.\" class=\"wp-image-1917\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t have to be a senior citizen to wonder, who will care for my pets when I die? Making arrangements for pets after death is a legitimate concern for loving pet parents who want peace of mind that the family pet will be properly cared for after they\u2019re gone. Under North Carolina law, dogs, cats, and other animals are considered personal property, meaning you can designate the recipient of your pet in your will just as you would a car or a piece of jewelry.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Here are important things to consider when making arrangements for pets after death from our team at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/\">Animal Medical Hospital &amp; Urgent Care<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t Keep the Beneficiary a Secret<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Asking a friend or relative to pitch in for a week when you\u2019re on vacation is vastly different from asking someone to permanently provide a new home for your pet. Discuss your pet\u2019s needs with the person you\u2019re considering, and make certain your designated person is happy to open their heart and home to your pet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Discuss Your Needs With a Professional<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no shortage of online resources for DIY wills, but when it comes to making arrangements for pets after death, it\u2019s best to consult with a professional. A pet provision clause must be properly worded, or it may fail to do what you intended.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t Leave Assets to Your Pet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s where proper wording comes into play again. You can\u2019t leave money or other assets to your pet. But considering how significant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/2022\/05\/money-well-spent-anticipating-the-cost-of-pet-ownership\/\">the costs of pet ownership<\/a> can be, you can plan ahead to offset these costs after you\u2019re gone \u2026 which brings us to our next point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consider a Pet Trust<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>North Carolina allows for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspca.org\/pet-care\/pet-planning\/pet-trust-primer\">pet trusts<\/a>\u2014money set aside for the ongoing pet care. Pet trusts give you the ability to be specific about your pet\u2019s needs, including preferred foods, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/veterinary-services\/spa-services.html\">grooming<\/a> schedule, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/veterinary-services\/wellness-preventive-care.html\">routine medical care<\/a>, while providing the trustee with the financial means to see that your wishes are carried out. The trustee you name in your pet trust does not have to be the same person you named as the beneficiary of your pet.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create a Plan B<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the event that your designated beneficiary cannot care for your pet after you\u2019re gone, name a substitute beneficiary. Likewise, name a successor trustee for the pet trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are unable to designate someone you know to care for your pet, contact local animal charities. Some may provide long-term care of pets of deceased owners or place your pet in a caring home after you\u2019re gone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We talk a lot about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/2021\/12\/when-to-consider-end-of-life-care-for-your-pet\/\">pet loss<\/a>, but it\u2019s also important to plan for your pet\u2019s care in case something should happen to you. Please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/\">contact us<\/a> if you have questions about including your pet in your will.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You don\u2019t have to be a senior citizen to wonder, who will care for my pets when I die? Making arrangements for pets after death is a legitimate concern for loving pet parents who want peace of mind that the family pet will be properly cared for after they\u2019re gone. Under North Carolina law, dogs, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,15,46],"tags":[392,397,734],"class_list":["post-1916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pet-safety","category-senior-pet-care","category-you-your-pet","tag-long-term-care-of-pets-of-deceased-owners","tag-making-arrangements-for-pets-after-death","tag-who-will-care-for-my-pets-when-i-die"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Can I Put My Pet in My Will? - Animal Medical Hospital &amp; Urgent Care<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Making arrangements for pets after death is a legitimate concern for loving pet parents who want peace of mind that the family pet will be properly cared for after they\u2019re gone.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/can-i-put-my-pet-in-my-will\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can I Put My Pet in My Will? 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