While many people are concerned about the care and well-being of their pets after they pass away, most estates do not adequately address these issues. When you cannot take care of your pet, for any reason, during your life or after your death, it is truly important to create a legally enforceable plan to protect your beloved pet’s continued care. Despite a pet’s short life expectancy, your pet might out live you. This is especially true now that medical advances have resulted in longer life expectancies for pets than in the past. A Pet Trust is a legal document you can create to ensure that your pets will be cared for as you yourself have cared for them. Pet Trusts may provide for dogs, cats, parrots and other birds, horses, reptiles and any other pets. The primary purpose of a Pet Trust is to provide for the health, support, maintenance, and care of your pets or any pets you own at the time of your death. If you are no longer able to provide for the care of your pet, a Pet Trust can ensure that there are funds available and a care-taking system in place to care for your pet. A Pet Trust can appoint a care giver and at least one backup care giver to provide care for your pet and appoint a trustee to make sure that the care giver is doing his or her job. A Pet Trust also protects the money designated for the pet and ensure that it lasts for the duration of the pet’s life. A Pet Trust can even give directions regarding health care needs, exercise needs, diet needs, preferred veterinarian. Lastly, a Pet Trust can provide directions for burial/cremation plans for your pet and how any funds remaining in trust should be handled upon the death of the pet. A Pet Trust is an amazing tool to use for those who want the peace of mind of knowing that their pets will be taken care of when they no longer can perform those duties.