Who Gets the Dog (or Cat)?

For many people, pets are family, which is why it’s important to think about them when preparing your Will. 

Surprisingly, many people carefully plan who gets the house, the jewellery, and the carefully curated wine collection, but forget to plan for the care of the golden retriever sleeping on the couch.

The problem is that pets cannot inherit money directly, so without proper planning, their future can become uncertain.  A well-drafted Will can nominate a trusted carer and even leave funds to help cover food, vet bills, and the occasional luxury squeaky toy.

And yes, disputes over pets do happen.  Nothing brings out long-lost affection quite like a pure-bred poodle worth several thousand dollars.

Including clear instructions in your Will helps avoid confusion, family arguments, and last-minute panic about who is looking after the cat that only eats one specific brand of tuna.

At the end of the day, estate planning is about looking after the ones you love, including the four-legged family members who will never understand your Will but will definitely notice who fills the food bowl tomorrow morning.