Taking Care of Your Pet When You No Longer Can

The New York City Bar has provided a brochure detailing themeasures you should take to care for your pet if you die or becomehospitalized.  Besides including a provisionin your will concerning your pet’s care, advance arrangements should also bemade to care for your pet during the period between your death and theadmission of your will to probate.  Youshould designate a friend, relative, shelter, or charitable organization tocare for your pet upon your death or incapacitation as well as designatealternate caretakers.  Besidesdesignating a permanent caretaker, other options include conditional bequests,pet trusts, or perhaps euthanasia.  For acomplete description of the various measures pet owners can take and acollection of sample will provisions, please click here.

See Committee onAnimal Law, Providing for Your Pets inthe Event of Your Death or Hospitalization, New York City Bar, March 2013.