Top Tips For Making Sure Your Pets are Looked After When You Are No Longer Around
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BY BRYONY VAN NIEKERK
When it comes to estate planning, we all know to make provisions for our assets; houses, cars, inheritance for the kids, but what about our pets? Pets are often overlooked when people draw up their wills, leaving loved ones to suddenly figure out what happens to the animals whose entire world has just been turned upside down.
And perhaps that isn’t surprising. One of the hardest parts of having pets is acknowledging that, one day, we will have to say goodbye to them. We don’t often stop to consider the opposite: what happens if they outlive us?
My partner and I had never considered setting up a will until our financial planner brought it up. At the time, we thought it was pretty unnecessary. We barely had any assets besides a car and a small amount of savings, so we couldn’t really see the point. Our financial planner explained the benefits and was even the one to tell us to include the dogs and cats and make sure we named who would be responsible for them should both of us pass away.
My mom became the lucky prospective recipient of two dogs and three cats, along with money set aside to help with their ongoing care.
It is, however, important to take your pets specific individual needs into consideration. Age, breed, size, medical conditions and bonded pairs are some of the factors that will play a role in determining what the best plan will look like.
For some pets, rehoming with a trusted family member may be the obvious choice. For others, particularly elderly or seriously ill animals, the kindest option may be to consider their quality of life and existing veterinary care. These are deeply personal decisions, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
None of us wants to think about leaving our pets behind. But it can and does happen. Making provisions for them is one final act of love, helping to ensure that they are cared for and safe.
TIPS:
Come up with a plan
Before worrying about the legalities, start by deciding what you would actually want to happen to your pets. Think about who you would trust to care for them, whether your pets would need to stay together and what their individual needs are.
Have open and honest conversations with the people you are considering as appointing as caregivers and make sure they are willing and able to take on the responsibility. Do not blind side with this information after your passing.
It is also important to identify a temporary or emergency caregiver who can step in immediately if something happens to you. This person should ideally be familiar with your pets and have access to your home, their food, medication, veterinary records and all the information they would need to keep things as normal as possible.
Draft a will
Once you have your plan figured out, put it in writing. In South Africa, pets are legally regarded as property so they form part of your estate.
In your will, you can set out your longer-term wishes, including who you would like to care for your pets and how funds (if any) should be allocated towards their care. Your attorney or estate-planning professional can advise you on the best way to structure this.
Make financial provision for your pet’s care
As we are all well aware, caring for pets can be quite expensive. Food, vet bills, toys, treats, groomers and medication all add up very quickly. Ideally, one would make financial provision as part of your estate planning. In this way, funds are allocated ahead of time for the continued care of your pets. Compile a list of your pets’ current expenses and consider how much money would realistically be needed to continue looking after them. This could include food, veterinary care, medication, grooming, boarding and other ongoing expenses.
This is definitely a nice-to-have rather than something everyone would be in a position to do. But if you are able to set aside money or establish an appropriate trust or other financial arrangement, it can make a major difference. These funds could help ease the financial burden on your appointed caregiver and make it easier for them to fulfil their responsibilities.
Make sure the plan can be put into action
Having everything written down is all well and good, but it is only useful if the people who need it can find and understand it.
Keep all your pets’ important information together and make sure your nominated caregiver knows where to find it. This could include veterinary records, medication instructions, microchip details, feeding routines and contact details for your vet.
Make sure someone you trust knows where your will and pet-care instructions are kept. You don’t want your family or nominated caregiver having to search for this information during what will already be a very difficult time.
Lastly, do not forget to update your plan. Pets age, circumstances change and the person you originally nominated may no longer be able to take responsibility. A quick review every few years can help ensure that the plan you originally put together is still relevant and, most importantly, still the right one for your pets.
