Can I Include My Pet in My Will?

A pet is legally your property, so it is included in your will in the same way as any other specific item you own: you leave it as a gift to a named person. The clause simply identifies the pet, sometimes by name and species to avoid any doubt, and states who should receive it.

This gift is usually paired with a separate cash legacy to the same person, intended to help with the costs of looking after the animal. The two gifts work together: one transfers ownership, the other provides a practical contribution towards the expense of care.

There is no fixed formula for how much to leave. Some people base the figure on an estimate of a few years of food, insurance and routine vet costs; others leave a round sum that reflects what they are comfortable giving. If you have more than one pet, you can either leave a single sum to cover all of them or separate figures if different people are taking different animals.

Remember that once the legacy is paid, it becomes the recipient's own money, and they are not legally bound to spend it in a particular way. Most people rely on trust and a clear letter of wishes rather than legal restrictions, since building a formal enforceable structure into the will itself is usually unnecessary and adds cost and complexity for most straightforward pet arrangements.

Just as you would name a reserve executor or guardian, it is sensible to name a backup person to take your pet if your first choice is unable or unwilling to act when the time comes, for example because of a change in their own circumstances. Without a reserve, your executors would need to find an alternative arrangement themselves.

If you genuinely have no one suitable, name a charity home-for-life scheme as your fallback instead, so your will always has a workable answer.

A will is a formal legal document and is not the right place for detailed day-to-day instructions, such as feeding routines, medical history, favourite toys or your vet's contact details. Instead, keep a separate, informal letter of wishes with this information, updated as things change, and let your named carer and executors know where to find it.

This keeps your will itself simple and easy to update, while still making sure the person taking on your pet has everything they need.

For the great majority of pet owners, a straightforward gift of the pet plus a cash legacy, backed by a letter of wishes, is entirely sufficient and can be set up easily through an online will service. It is quick to arrange and gives real peace of mind.

If you own a particularly valuable animal, want the money legally ring-fenced for the pet's care through a trust of imperfect obligation, or have a more complex family situation where you are worried the arrangement might not be honoured, it is worth speaking to a solicitor about a more robust structure.