Are you the owner of a pet that you care about? Have you thought about what will happen to your animal companion if you become incapacitated or pass away? Animals are loyal companions who deserve to be in a stable home with a loving owner over the course of their life. While animals usually have shorter lifespans than people, a tragedy could happen at any time that leaves an animal without a caretaker. When this happens to your pets, you should make sure there are provisions in place so the animal is protected.
DeBruyckere Law Offices provides assistance with pet planning to clients in the Greater Merrimack Valley area as well as in the Southern areas of New Hampshire. Our legal team understands that you take your commitment to your pets seriously and we will work with you to treat their safety and security with the importance that it deserves. Your death or incapacity should not mean there is no one to care for the animals you shared your life with, and our attorneys will help you to make sure that your animal is provided for no matter the circumstances. Give us a call for personalized advice on pet planning and to get answers to important questions including:
- Why is pet planning important?
- What are some things you can do to plan for the care of your animals?
- How can a pet planning lawyer help you?
Why is Pet Planning Important?
Throughout the United States, there are thousands of animals living in shelters or other unstable environments because these animals do not have a loving home. The pet overpopulation problem results in adoptable dogs, cats, and other companion animals losing their lives every year. Older animals may be even harder to place in new homes, which can result in these animals having a slim chance of being adopted and finding a new home if they are taken to a shelter.
Unfortunately, sometimes when you pass away, your animal can be thrust into the frightening and uncertain world of homelessness. If you have not made provisions for how your pet will be cared for, there may be no one to take responsibility. Even if you have family members who might wish to care for your pet, financial constraints may prevent them from providing the type of home or the type of care that you know your beloved animal deserves.
You do not want the pet that has been such an important part of your life to become one of millions who does not have a loving owner. In the event of your incapacity or death, you want your animal to be cared for and provided with the love that you gave him during the course of your life.
Pet planning allows you to make provisions to ensure that your animal is cared for no matter what happens in an uncertain future. Pet planning is something that every pet owner, of all ages, should do because you never know what tomorrow will bring.
What Can You Do To Create a Pet Plan?
The most basic type of pet planning is to provide instructions in your will regarding the care of your animals. However, this may not be an effective solution in the event of incapacity or the event that the assigned caregiver is not able to financially care for your animal.
There are other more advanced steps that you can take to create a plan for your pet. One option which many people consider is to create a trust and to transfer assets into that trust. The trust document can provide detailed instructions that the money is to be used to ensure the care of your animal companion.
You can take steps to put enough money into the trust so there are funds available for the care of your animal, including any necessary veterinary treatments your pet may need for the remainder of his life. You can also ensure that the money and assets kept in the trust are used only for your instructed purposes of caring for your pet.
Trust creation is just one of the steps that you can take as part of your pet planning. An experienced attorney can help you to make effective use of all available legal tools to ensure your animal is provided for after your death or incapacity.
How Can a Pet Planning Lawyer Help You?
DeBruyckere Law Offices takes pet planning seriously. We have helped many clients in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire to ensure the appropriate care of companion animals. Give us a call today at our New Hampshire number, (603) 894-4141 or at our Massachusetts number, (978) 969-0331.
