Leona Helmsley Spurs Interest in Pet Trusts -- Part II

As discussed earlier on this blog, Leona Helmsley's $12 million left in trust to benefit her dog, Trouble, as been a boon to raising public awareness about estate planning for pet owners.

In Sandra Block, Pet lovers like Helmsley plan ahead: In dog we trust, USA Today, Sept. 4, 2007, at 4B, the author states that:

If there's an upside to this dysfunctional saga, it's this: Helmsley's excessive bequest has focused attention on the importance of including your pets in your estate plans.

Thousands of pets end up in shelters every year because their owners died without making arrangements for their care, says Kim Bressant-Kibwe, trust and estates counsel for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

For detailed information about estate planning for pet owners, see Estate Planning for Non-Human Family Members, revised Sept. 2, 2007.