I would never put anything about pets in a will, because I don't want to pay a solicitor to change it every time I have a new pet. From time to time I've updated my mum and dad about what ought to happen to our pets. And the rescue paperwork is easy to find.
You can put in a generic clause something like 'The pets I have at the time of my death' ... etc
That covers any and all pets, regardless
But then you're surely just saying something vague like 'should be returned to whichever rescue they are from'.
No, you can whatever you wish regarding their ongoing care. Doesn't have to be vague at all
I suppose what I'm thinking is, you wouldn't want it to be big shock to someone to suddenly find themselves named in a will as being responsible for the pets, rather than it being discussed in life (since the person had obviously taken the time to think it through and put it in the will).
Thinking about it, how quickly after death does a will get found/read/sorted? Animals are something you'd have to sort pretty quickly aren't they - would it be too late by the time the will is read, unless the people already know and the will is just formalising it/giving them some money for it.
I still think it would be vague if it were 'whatever pets I happen to have at this time'. But maybe that's just me!
I think I'm just confused as to the sorts of things that people are actually writing, beyond 'return to the rescue'. If the pets were to be looked after by a certain person, that shouldn't really need to be written in a will if you've made an agreement with the person previously before writing it in the will.
But anything you write in your will isn't enforceable anyway. It's surely only your wishes put into writing.
Obviously speak with the person and get an agreement with them, but if it's not in the will, then anyone can dispute it and it may never happen as you wish.
When you say 'return pets to rescue' ... If pets from different Rescues are now bonded, how would that work? Split them up because that's what's written in your will?
It needs to be thought out ...
Yes exactly. It isn't enforceable. You are only stating your wishes very firmly by putting them in a will. If circumstances change, or the person just doesn't want to deal with the care, it isn't legally binding.