Some assume that family members will care for cherished pets.  But as much as they may want to help, family and friends cannot always offer a suitable home.  Your Executors may be faced with a heartbreaking decision: find somebody willing to take care of your pet or, if a home cannot be found, put the animal to sleep. 

Legally, your Executors must collect your assets, pay your debts and then distribute what is left between the beneficiaries of your Will.  Perhaps surprisingly, a pet is treated in the same way as any other belonging and your Executors must deal with it as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.  Should the beneficiaries of your estate not want your pet and if it cannot be sold your Executors may be able to find a charity willing to offer it a home.  Relying on the help of charity however, can be a gamble. 

Tozers recently dealt with the estate of a lady who died without making arrangements for her cat Tiddles.  Her family were unable to take Tiddles in and, after exhaustive research and innumerable telephone calls, it was clear that local animal charities could not help.  Had Tozers’ staff not rallied around to find Tiddles a home with a member of their litigation team the Executors would have had no option but to have him put down.

Without having plans in place, the future of your pet is left to chance.  Charities do all they can to help animals in need but many need your help in return.  Leaving a legacy to a charity, perhaps conditional upon them accepting responsibility for your pet, can help secure the pet a new start and the legacy may also help to cover the initial bills the charity would face on accepting a new animal. 

Making arrangements in advance with a local animal charity and including proper provision in your Will can offer you peace of mind and a secure future for the final member of your family.