What Happens To Your Pet After You're Gone?

Testaments, wills and trusts in preparation for the future

Since pets usually have shorter lifespans than their human caregivers, you may have planned for your pet’s death. But what if the situation arises where you are the one who dies first? As a responsible pet owner, you provide your pet with the necessary care and love. To ensure that your beloved pet will continue to receive this care should something unexpected happen to you, it’s important to plan ahead.

The best way to make sure your wishes are fulfilled when it comes to ensuring the longterm or permanent care for your pet is by making formal arrangements that specifically cover the care of your pet. The simplest way is to add them to your will or trust. Appoint an attorney to draw up a will or trust which will provide for the care of your pet as well as the money needed to care for him. You can provide for a specific amount of money to take care of your pet and provide specific instructions to the chosen caretaker.

What are trusts?

Trusts are legal entities which are created to hold assets for the benefit of certain persons or entities. South African law describes the most common types of trusts as follows: