Estate Planning
When I tell people that I do a lot of estate planning for pets, my statement is often met with either a confused look or a humorous question about how I get Rover and Fluffy to sign their Wills. For many of us (including me), our pets are like our children. But unfortunately, the law only treats our pets as personal property. As a result, when we pass away, our pets have no more rights or protections than the living room furniture they sleep on while we are at work. It is important that you make sure your pets go to the right guardians when you pass away, especially if you have a pet that has difficulty bonding with new people or you have pets that need to stay together in their new home.
There are numerous ways to protect your pets should you pass away. Colorado even allows the use of “Pet Trusts.” A properly drafted Pet Trust can assure that money is available for your pets’ continued safety, health, and well-being when you pass away.
The extremely spoiled canine and feline stars of this page are Iris the German Shepherd and her cat, Dave. Iris was rescued through the Front Range German Shepherd Rescue, and Dave was rescued through the Denver Dumb Friends League.
Rescue pets can be a lot of work, but they give you so much in return.
