Even though many of us consider our pets family, most of us haven’t created a plan for their care if something happens to us. That means they could end up in shelters once we’re gone.
But there are steps you can take now to ensure that doesn’t happen. First, identify a guardian willing to care for your pet. You’ll need to consider costs, including food, preventative medicine and vet visits.
Your best bet might be to create a legally binding document that states your specific wishes. That could mean establishing a pet trust, which can be costly. Or you might put your wishes in writing and have the document notarized. Many websites can guide you and suggest legal wording for such a document.