Who will take care of my pet if I die?

A short note before you start

This guide is general information for the United States, not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Pet trust rules, funding limits and probate timelines are set by each state, so confirm the specifics that matter for your situation with an estate planning attorney or your state court's self-help site.

Why pets need their own plan

A pet cannot call for help or tell a stranger what medication it needs. When an owner dies suddenly or is hospitalized, a pet can go unnoticed for hours or days unless someone already knows to check on it. Even with a will in place, there is often a gap of weeks to months before an executor has legal authority to act, so pets need a plan that works immediately, not one that waits for an estate document to take effect (NYC Bar Association, checked 2026-09-18).

Because pets are legal property, not people, the law treats "who gets the dog" the same way it treats "who gets the car": the pet passes to whoever is named to receive it, and any money set aside for its care has to be given to a person or a trust, not to the animal¹⁰.

Step 1: Name a caregiver, and a backup

Start with two roles, since they are often filled by different people:

• Emergency caregiver: someone nearby with a key who knows the pet and can step in within hours if you are hospitalized or have an accident. The ASPCA notes this is often not the same person who should keep the pet permanently².
• Permanent caregiver: the person or family who will keep the pet for good if you die or become unable to care for it.

Name at least one backup for each role. Humane World for Animals (formerly the Humane Society of the United States) recommends having a backup adopter and checking in with chosen caregivers regularly, since circumstances change⁸. Ask directly, in a real conversation, rather than assuming a casual comment ("oh, I'd take him") is a commitment, and put the agreement in writing.

If no one in your life can take the pet, plan ahead with a shelter or rescue group. Some organizations, including the ASPCA, can be named as an "organization of last resort" in a formal pet planning document¹.

Step 2: Decide how to fund the pet's care

A caregiver taking on a pet also takes on its food, vet bills, grooming and, for some animals, decades of cost. There are three common ways to attach money to the arrangement, in order of how enforceable they are:

1. Informal request. Leave money or property to the caregiver and ask, in writing, that it be used for the pet. Simple, but not legally binding; nothing requires the caregiver to spend it on the pet¹⁰.
2. Will provision naming the pet as a bequest. Name the caregiver as beneficiary and list the pet as what they receive, alongside funds for its upkeep. Still relies on probate, which can take months, and still cannot legally bind the money to the pet's care¹⁰.
3. Pet trust. A legal document, recognized in all 50 states and DC, that sets aside money with a trustee who has an enforceable duty to spend it on the named animal's care. The caregiver and trustee can be the same person or two different people¹.

How much to set aside depends on the pet, but national averages give a starting point. ASPCA Pet Insurance estimates yearly costs of about $512 for a small dog, $669 for a medium dog and $1,040 for a large dog, and about $634 a year for a cat, before counting emergency vet care¹¹. Multiplying that annual figure by the pet's likely remaining years, then adding a cushion for emergencies, gives a rough funding target for a will provision or a pet trust.

How a pet trust works

A pet trust names the animal as the beneficiary, a trustee to hold the money, and usually a separate caregiver for daily care. State laws differ on the details:

Confirm your state's exact statute, funding limits and duration cap with an estate planning attorney rather than assuming another state's rule applies.

A simpler paid option: the Pet Protection Agreement

The ASPCA has partnered with LegalZoom to promote the Pet Protection Agreement, a standalone document created by New York animal-law attorney Rachel Hirschfeld that lets an owner name a guardian and leave funds without drafting a full trust. Prices have run from about $39 to $79 depending on the version¹.

Step 3: Write down what a caregiver needs to know

Whoever steps in needs the same core information most owners carry only in their head. The ASPCA calls this a Pet Portfolio and recommends keeping it accessible, with your other important papers². At minimum, include:

• Veterinarian: name, clinic, phone number, and whether the pet has a file there
• Medications: name, dose, schedule, and what happens if a dose is missed
• Medical conditions: allergies, chronic conditions, past surgeries, current weight
• Food: brand, amount, feeding schedule, and any food the pet cannot have
• Routine: walk schedule, litter box habits, crate or kennel needs, exercise needs
• Behavior: how the pet reacts to strangers, other animals, children, and loud noises
• Microchip and ID: chip number, registry, and confirmation the registration is in your name, since that is what reunites a lost pet with the right person⁸
• Insurance: policy number and insurer, if the pet is insured
• Photos: recent photos of you with the pet, useful for identification if the pet is ever lost or a caregiver dispute arises⁸

This is the kind of information a family guide, such as the one Omliva helps a household put together, keeps alongside the rest of a person's emergency records, so a caregiver is not searching a phone or a junk drawer for the vet's number. A household binder is a good place to keep the paper or digital copy where a caregiver can find it fast. For the rest of what a family might need to lay hands on in an emergency, see our what your family needs to know list.

Step 4: Carry a wallet card

A wallet card lets a first responder or hospital staff learn, immediately, that a pet is waiting at home alone. The ASPCA's free Pet Planning Packet includes a Pet Alert Card, an emergency information sheet and a Pet Portfolio template⁴. At a minimum, the card should have:

• Two emergency contacts who can be reached immediately
• The number and type of pets at home
• Your veterinarian's name and phone number
• A note that the pets should not be left alone and who has a key

Keep a matching sign or sticker on a front window or door for firefighters and other emergency responders, since a wallet card only helps once someone finds it on you.

Step 5: Put the plan in writing, and keep it current

A verbal understanding with a friend is a start, not a plan. Put the arrangement in writing, even a one-page letter of instruction, and make sure your named caregiver, your executor and at least one family member know where to find it. Humane World for Animals recommends confirming with a chosen caregiver at least once a year, since housing, health and relationships change⁸.

What happens to pets in probate

Because pets are legal property, they move through probate like any other item of personal property, not like a family member. A pet cannot be named directly as a beneficiary of money; the money has to go to a person or a trust¹⁰. If a will says nothing about the pet, it typically passes to the residuary beneficiary, the person who receives what is left after specific gifts are handed out; if there is no will, the pet passes under the state's intestacy rules along with everything else, which may not send it to the person best suited to care for it¹⁰.

Probate itself can take weeks to months before an executor has legal authority to act, which is the gap an emergency caregiver plan covers. A pet trust avoids some of this delay, since a trustee can typically begin managing funds as soon as the trust is funded, separate from the probate timeline (NYC Bar Association)¹.

A will still matters for the long term. A same-day emergency plan, separate from the will, covers the gap while probate is pending. For the rest of what happens to a person's property after death, see the full executor checklist and settling an estate. If a will or trust is not started yet, our estate planning checklist covers the basics before adding pet-specific provisions.

When to get professional help

Talk to an estate planning attorney if you want a pet trust, if your state's funding or duration rules are unclear, if you own an exotic or long-lived animal such as a parrot or tortoise, or if you are naming an organization rather than an individual as a backup caregiver. An attorney can also make sure a pet trust or will provision does not conflict with the rest of your estate plan. For most owners with one or two pets and a willing family member or friend, a written letter of instruction plus a simple will provision may be enough.