Estate Planning For Your Dog By Kelly Marshall At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

If you are a responsible dog owner, you might live in dread of the day when you will be unable to take care of your dog. In some cases, disability can prevent you from caring for your animal, and in more severe cases, death might be the issue that you are concerned about. This is why so many dog owners feel as though their beloved companion should be a part of their estate planning and if you want to make sure your dog is taken care of when you pass on, there are certain preparations that you should definitely make. Take some time and consider what you need to do to make sure that your dog is going to be taken care of.

The first thing that you should look at is the immediate aftermath of your death. Keep an animal card in your wallet or purse that will tell the people who find it that you have an animal in your care that needs to be taken care of. The name of the animal, the fact that it is a dog, where the dog is being housed and any special care that the dog needs should be on the card. Ideally, there will also be a contact person on the card that tells the professionals involved who to contact and who to commit the dog to.

The second step that you should take is going to be filling out an animal document. This document should have all of the information that resides on the animal card, though it can certainly be more thorough. This document should stay in your safe or safe deposit box with the rest of your estate disposition documents. Essentially, this is simply a way of making sure that you are wishes are known regarding your animal and that he or she will be taken care of in a timely and appropriate manner.

Also, make sure that you post signs on your property that you have dogs or other animals in side. This can be helpful in the case of emergencies when people need to enter the building, and these can be as subtle as window decals that are stuck to your door or windows. Inside the dwelling, you can leave information about who to contact, the veterinarian in care of the animal and what neighbors or pet sitters are familiar with the animal.

These are the basic steps to take that will ensure your dog's safety immediately after your death, but you should also keep in mind that your dog's benefit should be looked after as well. Many owners decide to create enforceable inter vivos or testamentary trust funds for their dogs. This means that there is a human beneficiary and a trustee that will give the beneficiary money to take care of the dog's needs.

Take some time and consider how you can take care of your dog and what you need to do to do to make sure that your dog is taken care of even after you pass on.

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