A Voice For Animals

Posted on 04 Oct 2016

The Fourth of October, 2016 is World Animal Day, which has been built this year as a chance to “speak up for those who have no voice”. Around the world, events will be held to promote animal welfare and raise awareness for the protection of animals.

Moving closer to home, we are very much a nation of animal lovers. Domestic pets in particular play a large part in our lives. Pets provide companionship and even a reason to get up in the morning, for a great number of people and so it is not surprising that we often want to give a little back to our animals.
Leaving a legacy in a Will in Llandudno, or any of our branches within North Wales is a popular way of doing this. Out of the ten most popular charities for legacy gifting, three are concerning animals, those being the RSPCA, the PDSA and Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

These charities often rely on legacy gifting and the charities themselves can then act to give animals a voice.

Local animal charities can also achieve much by receiving donations left in a Will. For example, only recently Doris Davies from Kinmel Bay left more than £36,000.00 to the North Clwyd Animal Rescue Centre. This has enabled them to fund a café for the centre, to be used for volunteer training sessions and fundraising events. This will have a long lasting effect, enabling the centre to sustain itself.

Doris was 95 years old when she passed away last year and her own pets, an Irish terrier and a poodle were from the rescue centre.
A valuable part of the work of many animal charities is the re-homing of pets. Many people are concerned about who will look after their animals if they pass away. Contact with a local charity who provide a re-homing service can give you peace of mind and provision can be included in your Will for the charity to look after the pet as well as providing a legacy to the charity.

This is often an excellent solution to the quandary of who will look after my cat or dog when I am gone. It may seem that choosing a relative or trusted friend to take care of the animal and perhaps leaving them a sum of money to do so is a preferred arrangement. However, circumstances can change and we do not know the position of our nominated person at the time they are required to take on our pets’ care. Also, it is difficult to look into the future to work out the amount of money that would be suitable to put aside for this care. Of course, your pet cannot voice his own opinions or speak up if the proper care is not provided.

Nominating a charity to look after your pet perhaps with a Side Letter giving some guidance as to which friends or relatives could look after the pet is a surer way of getting the right home for your animal at the relevant time.

So, on World Animal Day, we should perhaps look to the future and make sure there are provisions for the dogs, cats, rabbits, budgies and other important animals in our lives.

By Siân Thompson – Solicitor specialising in matters of Probate Law such as Wills, Trusts & Estates. She is a court-appointed Deputy for clients under the Court of Protection and also acts as a professional trustee and attorney, as well as being STEP qualified and a full member of Solicitors for the Elderly.