Estate Planning for Pet Owners
How to care for your pet even after you’re a bag of bones
We’ve all heard those commercials for life insurance:
“Who will take care of your family after you’re gone?”
What those commercials never say is:
“Who will take care of your pets after you’re gone?”
Either we think that somehow our beloved furry children will be magically taken care of after our deaths, or we avoid the issue until it’s too late. If you have a family there’s probably an easy answer. Somebody will most likely take care of and continue to love your dog, your cat, your goldfish, your hedgehog.
Or not.
I fostered a cat who had lived alone in a house for over a year after her elderly owner passed away. The woman’s son didn’t want Mattie the cat, but he didn’t know what to do with her, either.
Imagine living alone for a year, only seeing humans briefly as they came and went to bring you food and water.
If you don’t have a family (like me) and few friends, or friends that just aren’t willing and able to provide a loving home for your pet, things can get even worse. Strangers will come and take your pet, and the results could be tragic.
