Most of us who have a pet consider them to be a part of the family. Unfortunately, the plans we may have so carefully put together to protect our loved ones typically do not take our pets into consideration.
According to the ASPCA, only about 17% of dog and cat owners have taken the necessary legal steps to ensure their pets are cared for after they die. Most of us assume that because our close family members know how much our pets mean to us, someone in the family will take responsibility for our pets after we are gone. However, many pets that outlive their owners wind up in shelters because no formal provisions have been made for them.