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How to Create a Plan to Ensure Your Pet’s Care With a Georgia Pet Trust | Georgia Pet Planning Lawyers

Posted by Steve Worrall | Nov 18, 2013

How to Create a Plan to Ensure Your Pet's Care With a Georgia Pet Trust | Georgia Pet Planning Lawyers

georgia pet planning lawyers

Most of us who have a pet consider them to be a part of the family; unfortunately, the plans we may have so carefully put together to protect our loved ones do not take our pets into consideration.

According to the ASPCA, only about 17% of dog and cat owners have taken the necessary legal steps to ensure their pets are cared for after they die.  Most of us assume that because our close family members know how much our pets mean to us, someone in the family will take responsibility for our pets after we are gone.  However, many pets that outlive their owners wind up in shelters because no formal provisions have been made for them.

Almost every state, including Georgia, has laws that allow pet owners to create a trust for the care of their pets.  You can create a Georgia pet trust that would go into effect upon your death or if you become incapacitated and unable to care for your pet.  To ensure there are proper checks and balances, you may want to consider naming one person to serve as trustee to handle the money, and another person as your pet's caregiver, who would be responsible for the day-to-day care of your pet.

In your trust, you can detail exactly how your pet is to be treated – how many vet and groomer visits per year, what the pet should be fed, and any special medical needs that will require special attention.  You will need to fund your pet trust sufficiently to cover your pet's anticipated life span, including a cushion if your pet lives longer and needs additional medical care.

Don't make the mistake of providing for your pet in your will since probate could tie it up for months in court, but you could make mention of the existence of your pet trust in your will.

If you would like more information about protecting your loved ones – including your pets — call our Georgia Pet Planning Lawyers office today to schedule a time for us to sit down and talk. You can begin by calling our office today at 770-425-6060 to schedule a time for us to sit down and talk. Our Georgia Family Treasures Planning Session is worth $600 but is offered to readers of this blog for free. It is an in-depth consultation with an attorney who concentrates his practice in estate planning for families. Call us today and mention this “PET CARE” article.

About the Author

Steve Worrall

As a sandwich generation kid himself (caring for both children and aging parents), Marietta Georgia Estate Planning Elder Law & Probate Attorney Steve (Stephen M.) Worrall KNOWS the struggles you are facing as you raise children, balance the demands of your job, and take care of your aging parent...

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