Pet Planning

Your animal companion provides stress relief, companionship, and unconditional love. Many people recognize the many important ways that a pet can enrich their life. When you do adopt a pet, however, you are taking on the responsibility of caring for that animal for the life of the animal. Unfortunately, the unexpected could happen and you could get sick, injured, or even pass away. If you pass away before your pet or if tragedy strikes your home, you can still make sure that your animal is cared for.

You can do this by getting help with pet planning from The Law Offices of James A. Miller, P.C. Our legal team provides assistance to clients in Worcester and Burlington, MA as well as in surrounding areas. We understand how important it is to you to keep your commitment to providing a safe home for your animal no matter what happens, and we will work with you to create a comprehensive plan to ensure your animal is cared for always. Give us a call today at 866-417-4566 to learn about the pet planning process and to get answers to questions including:

• When is pet planning important?
• What does pet planning involve?
• How can a Worcester pet planning lawyer help?

When is Pet Planning Important?

Pet planning is important as soon as you bring a pet into your home. Many younger people and young families who adopt pets assume that they will be there to provide for the animal during the pet’s entire life. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. The unexpected tragedy could strike any time, leaving a pet vulnerable.

Without a pet plan, your animal could be neglected if you have to go into a hospital or nursing home as a result of a medical emergency. If you pass away unexpectedly, your animal could end up taken to a shelter. If you have had a pet for the animal’s whole life, it may be difficult for the companion animal to be adopted by a new family because people are often reluctant to adopt older pets. This could mean sentencing your dog, cat, or another companion animal to euthanasia or to live in a shelter.

You do not want to take any chances of having your pet be left without a home or having your pet’s new caregivers be left without the funds necessary to afford food, medical care, and treats for the animal. With the creation of a pet plan, you have the peace of mind of knowing that the animal who cares so much about you will always be taken care of by someone you trust.

What Does Pet Planning Involve?

We can provide assistance with creating a simple pet plan or with making more advanced provisions to ensure your animal is cared for in a way you see fit. One of the simplest yet most important things to do is to include a clause in your will or otherwise to make arrangements for someone to assume guardianship of your pet if you pass away. You should also determine, as part of your incapacity planning process, who is going to care for your animal if you require hospital care or nursing home care.

Caring for a pet can be costly, so you may wish to go further in making a plan for your animal. You may want to consider creating a trust and funding it with money or property which can be used to provide for your pet.

If you create a trust, you will name a trustee who is responsible for managing the trust assets and who will have a fiduciary duty to follow all of your instructions. In the trust document, you can leave specific details about how the money is to be used. For example, if your pet has a favorite treat, you can specify the money to be used to purchase that item. It is up to you how far you want to go and what steps you believe are important to ensure your pet is cared for with as much love as you were providing during your life.

How Does a Burlington Pet Planning Lawyer Help?

The Law Offices of James A. Miller P.C. provides pet planning services as part of your estate planning process or can help you to address just this important issue if your primary concern is making sure your animal is cared for. We understand the laws that apply and legal tools you can use to protect your pet and we have helped many clients in Worcester, Burlington, and surrounding areas throughout Massachusetts to get their pet protected and ensure a secure future. To learn more about how we can help you care for your pet, give us a call at 866-417-4566 or contact us online.