Create Your Pet Directive in 9 Easy Steps
When you have a pet, all you want is for them to be safe, happy, and healthy. This applies to the present and the future. Should anything happen to you, wouldn’t you want your pet to be taken care of? The only way to ensure they can continue to thrive even if you are no longer here to take care of them is to create a Pet Directive.
At GoodTrust, we’re dedicated to making estate planning easy, accessible, and intuitive. That’s why we created document-creation tools that take you step-by-step through each section to ensure all your information is properly inputted. Let’s review each of the important sections of your Pet Directive.
1. About You
This initial section allows you to provide your basic information such as your name, email address, phone number, and address.
2. About Your Pets
In this section, you’ll input all the important information about your pet. You’ll be able to update a photo, should you choose, specify their species, and share their name, breed, and age.
3. Guardian
Here, you’ll be able to indicate who you choose as your pet’s guardian should anything happen to you. You may also provide an alternate pet guardian if you’d like. Your pet guardian will be responsible for all of your pet needs should you no longer be able to care for them. Consider picking someone you trust.
4. General Information
This section is dedicated to gathering information regarding your pet’s background and distinguishing features and personality. You’ll be asked questions regarding whether your pet is neutered, microchipped, wears a collar, and more. You’ll even be given the opportunity to describe your pet’s personality and indicate what they need to thrive.
5. Health History & Contacts
Here you’ll be prompted to provide information regarding your pet’s medical history. You’ll indicate who your pet’s veterinarian is (and provide an alternate should you want to), and answer questions pertaining to vaccinations, insurance, medication, and more.
6. Daily Routine
We know you want your pet to be as comfortable as possible, so do we! That’s why we’ve created this section, specifically designed to allow you to share all details regarding your pet’s daily needs. Here, you can indicate things like their favorite treat, sleeping arrangements, where they like to be, their exercise routine, and much more.
7. Care After Owner’s Death
This section allows you to indicate which organization or individual should take care of your pet in the event of your passing. You’ll be prompted to provide both a short-term, and long term plan.
8. End of Life Care
This section allows you to provide details regarding your preferences for end-of-life care for your pet. You’ll be prompted to indicate what you are comfortable with in terms of care, your pet’s final resting place, and more.
9. Review
This final section allows you to review all the information you’ve inputted throughout the Pet Directive creation process. We recommend that you take the time to carefully read through each of your entries to make sure everything is correct and in accordance with your wishes. Once you’ve confidently reviewed your Pet Directive, you may save and upload into your Digital Vault.
In order to create a robust estate plan, you'll want to consider creating the following important documents as well. Please note all of the following are included in our Estate+ plan:
Start your Pet Directive today! Click here to begin.