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Pet Planning


Today, more people than ever before have made pets a part of their family. When you brought a pet into your life, you know you made a commitment for the lifetime of the animal – even if that lifetime extends beyond your own. If you become incapacitated or if you pass away while you are caring for an animal, you may wish to make provisions to ensure your beloved pet can continue to receive the best of loving care.

Pet planning has become increasingly important as many people want to ensure their dog, cat, or other pet is properly cared for no matter what the future brings. At Vermillion Law Firm, LLC, we can provide you with advice on how to ensure your pet is provided for in the future. We’ll assist you in creating a personalized plan that is right for your needs so give us a call today so we can get started. We can also answer questions you may have including:

Pet Planning - Asset Protection & Business Planning Lawyer - Dallas, Texas

Why is Pet Planning Important?

Cats, dogs, birds, and other companion animals can live for decades, and need to have a stable home, especially as they grow older and may be less adoptable by families looking for new animals. When you have brought a beloved pet into your home, you do not want your animal to end up in a shelter or going uncared for if something happens to you. There have been many beloved pets who have ended up with no home or caretaker upon the death of an owner, which is a tragic situation for everyone.

If you create a plan in advance for the care of your pet, you ensure that you know exactly what will happen to your companion animal if you become incapacitated or if you pass away. You will have the peace of mind of knowing you have made provisions for an animal that was always there for you and you will never have to worry that your death could result in your pet going without a family.  

What Should be Involved in Your Pet Planning?

The process of pet planning can be as simple or as complex as you wish to make it, depending upon the level to which you want to go to ensure your pets are properly cared for. In the simplest of pet plans, you can include a provision in your last will and testament specifying who should care for your pet and what should happen to the animal after your death. You can also leave money in your will which is earmarked for the care of your pet. Often, however, this simple step is not enough to ensure your pet is cared for. It does not address incapacity, for example, and there is no guarantee money left in your will for your pet will necessarily be spent to provide care for your animal.

You can also take additional steps to provide the maximum protection for your animal, including the establishment of a trust with money earmarked specifically for the care of your pet. You can name a trustee who will be in charge of overseeing the money that you have left behind and who will have a fiduciary duty to ensure that the money is used to provide the care for your pet that you prefer. You can also leave specific instructions for how the money is to be used to provide the best quality of life for your animal companion, even when you are no longer around to provide care.

At Vermillion Law Firm, LLC, we will help you to make informed choices about all of the different legal tools you can use to provide protections for your pet in case you are no longer there to be your animal’s companion for any reason.  

How Can a Dallas, TX Pet Planning Lawyer Help You?

Pets have become family members for many people and you want to take care of them just as you would care for any other family member. Your animals are dependent upon you to have a good life and we understand just how important it is for you to fulfill the responsibility you have taken on when you adopted an animal. Give Vermillion Law Firm, LLC  a call today at (972) 366-7201 so we can get started on the process of helping you to create a plan for your pet’s future.

John R. Vermillion is also licensed in Tennessee and Oklahoma

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