Millions of Dogs are at Risk When their Owners Pass Away

There have been a number of headlines about the one per cent leaving millions to their surviving pets. This got us thinking about the millions of dogs that will be vulnerable if their owners pass away without making a plan for them.

1 in 5 dog owners have already listed a caretaker for their dog in their will and also left money to help caretakers keep their cherished pets happy and healthy.

Some pet owners are leaving more than 40% of their wealth for their dogs’ care (5%). Data shows that, on average, Brits have around £17,365 in their savings. This means that around 650,000 potential pet parents could inherit upwards of £6,946.

However, 76% of dog owners are putting their dogs at risk by letting the law or a beneficiary decide what will happen to their furry friend. This means that many grieving families may be forced to take on the responsibility of looking after a new pet or, in some cases, have no choice but to give the dog to a shelter. Despite this, 20% of pet owners do not think it’s necessary to add their pet will, with some saying they ‘hope’ that they will outlive their pet. A quarter of dog owners say they simply have not had time to plan for their canine companion’s future.

Jack Cornes at Puppies.co.uk says: “Our research clearly shows that many Brits are not concerned enough about their dogs, leaving a large number of dogs unprotected if anything happens to their owners.”

Qarrar Somji at Witan Solicitors says that “pet owners usually ask whether it’s possible to leave money or property to their pets in a will. Whilst it is directly not possible to do so, you can leave your pet to a friend or member of your family, together with a gift to provide for their maintenance.”

But your dog’s new parent doesn’t have to be a friend or family member. Vera Rocha, a Will writing expert at Stanford Legal Services, says: “Interestingly, in the case of one of my clients, it was the dog walker.”
Methodology
The survey was sent to more than 26,000 buyers and breeders registered on our platform.

The survey involved 4 questions:
Have you included your dogs in your will?
What plans have you made for your dogs in your will?
Why haven't you included a plan for your dog in your will?
How much money do you plan to leave for your dog’s future care?

We determined how much potential caretakers could inherit by looking at the UK’s dog population and the average person’s savings.

Read the full report here - https://www.puppies.co.uk/puppy-advice/dog-will-report

If you have any questions about this report, get in touch at info@puppies.co.uk.