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Arranging for Your Pet’s Care After Your Death

Every year across America, healthy pets who have enjoyed loving homes find themselves in shelters and pounds because their owners have either grown too infirm to care for them or have died, leaving them bereft of love and comfort. Many of these pets, a great percentage of which are young and well trained, are put to death because no homes can be found for them. If you own a pet and find the thought of it meeting this kind of end, then there is something you can do about it. By creating a legal document and naming a pet guardian, as well as setting up a fund that will provide for your pet financially, you can ensure that your pet will live out its life in the care of someone who will love and provide for it.

The Responsibilities of a Pet Guardian

Many people aren’t even aware that funds and a guardian can be arranged for your pet in the event that you can no longer care for it. However, you can create a binding legal document with a guardian of your choosing, as long as he or she is willing to care for your pet after you die. Not only can you name a guardian of your choosing, you can also dictate what he or she can and cannot do with your pet. For instance, you can forbid the guardian from transferring ownership of the animal to another, unless in extreme cases, and ensure that the funds you leave are used only for the pet’s food and veterinary bills. Of course, you should choose your pet’s guardian carefully and make sure it is someone that your dog or cat knows and trusts. It will be in a state of confusion during the transition and will need extra reassurance and affection from that person.

Creating the Legal Papers

Once you have named a guardian for your pet, you are then ready to create the legal papers you will both have to sign. You can either get a local attorney to help you arrange the papers or even see legal help online. If you choose to go this route, make sure you know what you’re getting into before you make a final decision. Read Legal Zoom reviews and reviews about other online legal companies before you commit. Once you find a company that meets your needs, they will prepare the papers to your personal specifications and even help you set up a special bank account that you can add to in order to provide for your pet should you become seriously ill or die. While many people consider providing for their spouse or children in the event of their death, few people think of their pets and assume that family members will step in to care for them. However, in many cases, they might not have the room, time, or finances to take on a pet, and your beloved furry friend may find itself facing euthanasia. To make sure this doesn’t happen, you should make the naming of a pet guardian a priority as a part of your living will.

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