Don’t Forget Your Pet When Planning Your Estate

Pets hold a central place in many of our lives. They are constant companions providing unconditional love and acceptance. For many people, planning for the future includes addressing the well-being of their four-legged friends. Simply including your cat, dog, horse or another pet in your will is not an effective way of providing for them. Unfortunately, in many cases where the money is set aside for pets in a will, other beneficiaries will challenge that designation in order to obtain the funds for themselves.

A Flexible Means Of Providing For Your Pet

California law provides for a special kind of trust to ensure that your pets are well-cared for. A pet trust is a means of implementing your decisions for your pets and setting funds aside for them in a legally effective manner. Through a pet trust, you can address any and all concerns regarding the life of your pet such as:

  • Who will take care of your pet?
  • Who will make decisions regarding your pet’s well-being?
  • Where will your pet live?
  • How will your pet’s quality of life be preserved?
  • What kind of medical treatment do you want your pet to receive?
  • How will your pet’s living expenses be covered?

Through a trust, you can also provide detailed information regarding your pet’s routines, likes and dislikes, and any special circumstances or considerations.

Providing Tailored Legal Guidance

It is important to obtain professional guidance in making plans for your pet’s future. Unless a pet trust is properly established, it can be deemed invalid. At The Law Office of Theresa L. McConville, we can readily assist you in establishing a carefully tailored trust for your pet. We will invest the time and resources to sit down with you, learn about your goals and strategize an effective means of implementing those goals.

Our lawyer has more than 40 years of combined experience. You can trust that your legal needs will be in good hands.

Contact A Dog And Cat Trusts Attorney

To learn more about how to provide for your pet’s long-term needs through a pet trust, contact our Ventura County pet trust attorney at The Law Office of Theresa L. McConville in Camarillo. Call 805-910-7905 or contact us online.