Reasons why Pet Parents need Wills Today

These days, pets are more than animals: they’re family.

With the rise of pet insurance, pet grooming spas, and even pet cafés, pet needs are getting easier and easier to fulfill.

But what happens to your pet if something happens to you?

In this day and age, life is unpredictable. From unforeseen sickness, accidents and sudden death, your pet might one day find itself without an owner.

Under Philippine Civil Law, pets are not considered legal heirs, so they can’t directly inherit money or property. But don’t worry. There’s a way for you to designate assets for their well-being, as well as detailed instructions on how you want them to be looked after, from their diet, medical treatment and the persons who provide them care.

Through creating a Will, you can set aside a portion of your property or funds to a person you trust or a chosen organization to look after your pet’s daily care, even when you’re gone.

According to the Civil Code of the Philippines, a Will is “an act whereby a person is permitted, with the formalities prescribed by law, to control to a certain degree the disposition of his estate” (Article 783). The law allows the testator to entrust a third person to distribute specific property or sums of money for specified causes to which such property or sums of money may be given or applied (Article 786).

Why Pet Owners Should Consider Including their Pets in their Will

• 1. To Ensure Your Pet’s Care. By naming a trusted person, caretaker or organization in your will, to care for your pet, you make sure your pet won’t end up neglected, abandoned, or left in uncertain hands.
• 2. To Provide Financial Security. By setting aside a specific portion of your estate for your pet’s food, veterinary care and daily needs guarantees that your pet is looked after without becoming a burden on others.
• 3. To Avoid Family Conflicts. By leaving clear instructions on how your assets must be handled in providing your pets needs, including naming your trusted vet, chosen pet food and even small daily routines you’d like preserved, you can avoid family conflicts and make sure your pet’s daily life stays as close to what you envisioned, even when you’re no longer there.

Your pet gives you unconditional love every day. In a world full of uncertainties, you can make sure they are safe even when you’re no longer around. With a carefully written will, you can guarantee that your pet is loved, cared for, and provided for long after you’re gone.

Ready to ensure that your pet is in good hands, no matter what happens? Consult a lawyer now!