Thursday, 22 October 2026

Pet Guardianship Schemes

 

Death and what happens afterwards seems to a subject that seems to gauge very little interest or discussion. People will write a will, maybe plan their funeral but what happens to an important part of your family, your pets? Pets are classed as property in England so cannot be beneficiaries in a will. Money must be left in a Trust for them and as most of us haven’t got Karl Largfeld and his cat Choupette’s level of riches this is way beyond our means (although i would love to be able to provide my 4 cats with a full time carer so they could stay in their own home. 

Several animal charities have set up pet guardianship schemes whereby the owner registers the animal with that particular charity and you must a clause in your will stating that the charity is going to rehome your pet. When the time comes the executor of your will informs the charity and volunteers from a local branch will come and collect the animal, take it to the local branch and rehome him/her, The charities dont require payment but I have left a donation in my will to cover the costs for my cats and all the other cats that need rehoming. I have only included the details of national charities but do check to see if any of your local rescues offer this service. 

I have a degenerative spinal condition and various other health issues and what would happen to my beloved pets was a huge issue weighing me down. I was so relieved when I realised there is help available to rehome pets and make sure that they are safe during an upsetting and unsettling time for them, their slave/carer/human has gone, they need food, shelter and stability whilst someone finds them a new home. 

Dogs Trust: Canine Care Card. Rehome dogs:


Cats Protection: cat guardianship scheme. Rehome cats:


Blue Cross: Pets Peace of Mind, covers rehomes all small animals.


The Cinnamon Trust: helps people over 65 or terminally ill care for or rehome their pets. 







24 comments:

  1. Although it's not nice to think about, it does need to be done

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's horrible to think about but it does need discussing and a plan in place

    ReplyDelete
  3. A very informative and thoughtful post. It's easy to overlook future arrangements for our pets, but they depend on us completely. Thanks for raising awareness of this important subject. 🐾

    ReplyDelete
  4. This seems like a good idea.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is so important and needs to be spoken about more! Its crucial we have a plan in place for our fur babies

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is so important to think about! Thank you for sharing these resources.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such an important thing to consider. I have sons who will take my pets in should I still have any by the time I go but if I didn't I would definitely look into all this.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Didn’t know this existed but very good to know

    ReplyDelete
  9. As a pet owner, this really struck a chord with me. Our pets are family, and making arrangements for their future is just as important as any other part of estate planning. Thank you for highlighting these schemes and raising awareness of a topic that isn't discussed often enough.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My friend has taken in some dogs under this scheme. It's a lovely thing to do.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great idea by the charities to solve a horrible problem none of us want to think about!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thats a really good idea and I hadn’t been aware of it! I will tell my Dad about it as he would probably like something set up for his dog!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The Cinnamon Trust are a great charity. I am a volunteer dog walker for them.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the interesting article which I didn't know about.

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is good to know, thank you

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a great idea! I didn't know anything about this.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Samantha-Jane Flanagan3 November 2026 at 20:21

    Its a lovely thing to have

    ReplyDelete
  18. Very informative and a great idea x

    ReplyDelete
  19. It's such an important issue, I'm so glad my Gran had a plan for this with her elderly cat, Kevin

    ReplyDelete
  20. Such a good idea it would stop you worrying about what happens to your beloved pet if you can no longer look after it

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for this very useful post. I have a dog and never even realised or thought about it

    ReplyDelete
  22. I wish more people knew about this. It's quite common in my circle for people of advanced years to lose a pet, and almost immediately get another because they miss the company and comfort they provide. Totally understandable, but it has left their children with a pet that they are unable to take in themselves. Not fair on anyone, especially the pet! A bitof forward planning like this is such a good idea for all involved.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I think this is a great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Great read
    i dont have pets due to allergies @ raising awareness is great

    ReplyDelete