Our pets are so important to many of us

Our pets are so important to many of us, so are we able to provide for them in the same way as we would for any other family member after we die?

​Unfortunately, in England and Wales you cannot leave a gift directly to your pet or pets within your Will.  You can however, gift your pet within your Will to a friend or family member.  We would advise speaking with your chosen carer in the first instance to check that they agree.  Many people then decide to leave a legacy to the carer on the understanding that they will give your pet a home and care for your pet for the rest of their lives.

An alternative would be to set up a Legacy Fund within your Will.  Essentially, you would be setting up a trust fund for the benefit of your pet and your Trustees would use the income raised and or the capital for the upkeep and maintenance throughout the life of your pet.  This would be for a specified period of time and you would still need to think about who would actually provide the care for your pet.  The Fund would need to be maintained and managed by the Trustees until the death of the pet and therefore this may be a little complicated for many of us.

A final way of ensuring your pet is well cared for is to request that an animal charity care for or rehome your pet.  In such cases, a legacy is left to the charity for their use along with the request to care for the pet.  Again, we would advise speaking with your chosen charity before you make any requests in your Will.

If you would like to discuss your options for including your pet within your Will, please contact our Private Client Team at Colchester who are available for appointments on 01206 577676 or alternatively email us: [email protected]