010 Pets Are Family, Too - Pet Planning with Peggy Hoyt
Even though for many, pets are as dear as children, the laws definitely don’t see it that way. Unless you plan, your pet is no more important, legally, than a piece of furniture.
That being said, Americans seriously love their pets!
- According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 63% of American households have pets.
- A survey conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association shows that 57% of pet owners say that, if stranded on a desert island, they would prefer their pet as their sole companion.
- In 2012, we collectively spent $53 BILLION dollars on pet care.
- Men spend, on average, more than women!
- 5 BILLION is spent on pet gifts!
Despite the fact that we love our pets so much, most people fail to plan. This simple fact is part of the reason that it is estimated that approximately 3.7 million animals were euthanized in the nation’s shelters in 2008.
Don’t let this happen you your vulnerable loved one! Join me as I discuss pet planning with nationally renowned expert and author of All My Children Wear Fur Coats – How to Leave A Legacy For Your Pet, Peggy Hoyt, as she offers some great tips on how to properly plan for pets, and really gives perspective on why it is important — even if you think that you “already have it taken care of.”
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:
- Why pet planning is essential
- How to structure pet caregiver compensation, if necessary
- How and why to plan in a way that the court won’t interfere
- Considerations of proper persons to leave your animals in the car of
And more!
ALL MY CHILDREN WEAR FUR COATS…
How to leave a legacy for your pet. Animal companions… your pets… “your children.” Whatever you call them, they are dearly loved, family members. Our pets come to us from rescue shelters, from pet stores, from breeders, and from friends and family. Our pets come in all shapes and sizes — from horses to hamsters, from ferrets to felines — they inhabit our hearts with their own unique personalities. They share day-to-day struggles, adventures, special moments, and playtimes with us. We share our homes, our beds, and our hearts with our pets. We worry about our pets, too, just like our children, when they are not with us. They leave us with a legacy of happy memories after they’re gone. Our pets love us unconditionally, help reduce stress and even enhance longevity. For all these reasons and so many more, you should explore all the alternatives for planning for your pet’s future without you and for your future without your pet. This book is for anyone who has ever loved a pet and wondered what he or she would do if their pet were no longer with them or what their pet would do if they were no longer there.Peggy Hoyt, Estate Planning Attorney, and Pet Planning Expert
About Peggy Hoyt:
As a central Florida Estate Planning Attorney/Family Wealth & Legacy Counselors, Peggy works with individuals and families who want to create a lasting legacy for loved ones. Peggy is dual Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates and Elder Law.
Peggy practices in the areas of family wealth and legacy counseling, including trust and estate planning and administration, elder law, small business creation, succession and exit planning, real estate transactions, and animal law. In addition to her law degree, she holds a Florida real estate license. Peggy formerly held an NASD Series 7 license and health, life, and variable annuities licenses. Peggy holds her Board Certification from the Florida Bar in Wills, Trusts, and Estates and Elder Law.
Peggy speaks at the local, regional and national levels on estate planning and elder law topics including pet planning, special needs planning, and planning for unmarried couples and same-sex partners. Peggy has been featured on CNN Financial News, the Wall Street Journal, and the Orlando Sentinel for her work in pet planning. Peggy is the author of All My Children Wear Fur Coats: How to Leave a Legacy for Your Pet, a book that discusses what a person should do if their pet were no longer with them or what their pet would do if they were no longer there
Aside from being a partner shareholder in the law firm of She is also the founder of The Center for Animal Advocacy, Central Florida’s first animal law firm dedicated to providing legal services to pets and their families.
Peggy is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator concentrating in family business issues, elder law, and estate administration, as well as the resolution of pet disputes, AND a FINRA Arbitrator!
Contact Peggy:
Twitter: @PeggyRHoyt
