The good news is that you can and with as many as 1 in 2 households owning a pet it should be an important consideration when planning your Will.
For Wills purposes a pet is considered to be your personal property and therefore you cannot leave them cash directly. You can instead choose a person you can rely on to look after your pet and provide a gift or legacy to them. You must be careful to draft the clause in your Will to make clear that the gift is only for the care and to provide expenses in relation to caring for your pet. It is sensible to ensure that you leave enough money to provide for your pet`s lifetime. Also it is better to include in your clause provision for “ any pet I own at the date of my death “ as this will ensure that no pet is left out of your Will.
Similarly, It makes sense to provide for a substitute beneficiary to take care of your pet if for any reason they are unwilling or unable to act in the future.
You can also ask various Organisations to take care of your pet after your death such as The Cinnamon Trust or the RSPCA.
If no provision is made by you then it will be left for others to decide.
It is better to organise all of this well in advance so that your beloved pet is cared for after your death just as you would have wanted.
We can assist and provide you with expert advice upon this issue and many more, contact us today to find out how we may help you.