Pet Trust Lawyers in Boulder, CO Making Plans for Your Animal Companions

We understand that the animals we own and welcome into our lives often become beloved family members in their own right. Our pets rely on us for love and care. But what will happen to them if something happens to us? Thankfully, we are able to take special measures to prepare for such a possibility.

When we are no longer around to care for our animals, a pet trust in their name could help provide them with necessary care, like selecting their guardian and paying for their veterinary bills. We may even include instructions about how to care for the pet’s final days.

At Rocky Mountain Law, our wills and trusts lawyers are experienced in the implementation of several types of estate planning tools. Pet trusts are an important part of asset protection and ensuring that humane care is provided to the furry friends and family we leave behind.

What Are the Advantages of Including a Pet Trust in Your Estate Planning?

While one could argue that there are more important elements to estate planning and asset protection, if your pets matter to you then seeing to their continued care should be an important part of your estate plan. If you pass on unexpectedly or suddenly become incapacitated, your pet will still require care from someone. While we may hope that a family member or friend would step up to take care of the animal, some of our pets can be expensive, and not everyone has the housing that provides for all animal types.

To prevent your animals from ending up in a shelter or worse, a pet trust could provide necessary care when you are no longer able to.

A specifically worded pet trust is likely to be more respected by surviving family members than language in a will which sets aside money and directions for a pet. And while a will could take months in probate court, a pet trust would go into effect immediately after the death of the owner.

What Could Pet Trusts Cover?

Pets are viewed as property under the law. As such, you cannot leave money to your pets. You can, however, leave money and assets in a trust that will go towards the care of those pets.

Well-constructed pet trusts could help cover a number of issues surrounding the care of your pets, including:

A level of care is provided by warmth and decency that the pets have come to expect from their human companions.
Food and other everyday needs
Veterinary visits, both routine, and emergency.
Grooming and washing.
Boarding costs.
Walking costs
Guardianship.
End-of-life care and burial instructions.Your wishes regarding whether the animal should receive extra medical care if it comes down with a terminal health condition
A pet trust can also include written instructions about how often the trustee should expect to hear reports from the caregivers as to the welfare of the animal
Instructions on how and where to disperse the remaining funds of the trust after the animal dies

How to Establish a Pet Trust?

Whether your animal is a dog, cat, horse, lizard, pig, bird, or fish, it matters not. If the animal means something to you, its species doesn’t matter. You can set up a pet trust for their care. The pet trust must simply identify your pets, in order to avoid fraud. This may include photos, microchips, DNA tests, and breed classification.

The pet trust must select the animal’s new caregiver and, ideally, successor caregivers just in case. And you must decide how and how much to fund the trust.

All your wishes for the animal’s care can be written into the trust by your lawyers. You know your pets best; you know what sort of care they need. A well-written will and trust can help ensure that your instructions are passed on so that your pets are properly cared for.

Contact Our Law Firm to Schedule a Free Consultation

Rocky Mountain Law attorneys are experienced with several elements relating to estate planning, including the relatively lesser-known legal tool known as the pet trust. Ensuring the proper care for your animals is just as important as worrying about the care of vehicles or other valuables, and it would be a shame to leave them out of your estate plan.

For help starting a pet fund, please speak with our lawyers. You can schedule a free consultation with Rocky Mountain Law attorneys by calling our Boulder County office. (720) 420-1039.