HELP! I Told Spot He Wasn’t in my Will Because He Was Just a Dog and Now He Wont Let Me Scratch Behind His Ears – What Do I Do?

Estate planning can be tricky, especially when it comes to pets. In the state of Washington, pets are considered personal property and cannot inherit assets directly. However, it’s still important to consider the well-being of our furry friends when creating an estate plan. If you’ve recently had a conversation with your dog, Spot, about not being included in your will, and he’s now giving you the cold shoulder, here’s what you can do to make it up to him while following Washington state law:

1. Reassure Spot: Dogs are incredibly intuitive creatures and can often sense when something is wrong. If you’ve noticed that Spot is acting differently towards you since your conversation about the will, it’s important to reassure him that he’s still an important part of your life. Spend extra time with him, give him plenty of love and attention, and make sure he knows how much you care.
2. Consider Adding Spot to Your Will: While Spot may not be able to inherit your assets directly, you can still provide for him in your will by establishing a pet trust. You can designate a caregiver who will be responsible for taking care of Spot after your passing, while the trust will hold assets to ensure his standard of care is the same as while you were alive. The trust will be overseen by a trustee who will be responsible for managing the assets in the trust and using them to provide for your pet’s needs.  By setting your trustee and caregiver as different individuals, you can rest assured (in piece) that someone will be around to ensure Spot receives the love an affection (and milk-bones) that he deserves.
3. Make a Plan for Spot’s Care: In addition to designating a caregiver for Spot, it’s important to make a plan for his care while you’re still alive. This includes identifying someone who can take care of him if you’re unable to, and making sure that person has all the information they need to provide for Spot’s needs.

In conclusion, while pets may not be able to inherit assets directly under Washington state law, including them in your estate plans is still an important consideration. If you’ve recently had a conversation with your dog, Spot, about not being included in your will, it’s important to reassure him and make a plan for his care. By including Spot in your estate plan and seeking professional advice, you can ensure that he’s taken care of in accordance with Washington state law and that he knows how much you love him.  Adam Kitz of Gravis Law PLLC is an experienced estate planning attorney that can help you create a plan that reflect your wishes, and Spots wishes, as well as being tailored to your unique circumstances.