Pet trust · Attorney-drafted
A Texas pet trust. So your animals are cared for when you can't.
Pets cannot inherit under a will. The most common arrangement — asking a family member or friend to take the animal — fails more often than people realize, often because circumstances change between the conversation and the moment care is needed. A pet trust solves this. It names a caretaker, names a trustee to manage the funds, and provides dedicated money for your animal's lifetime care, on terms you set. Texas Property Code § 112.037 specifically authorizes trusts for the care of animals alive during the settlor's lifetime. Every pet trust drafted through TexasEstates.com is prepared and reviewed by Darryl Pratt, a Texas-licensed attorney.
Why an informal arrangement isn't enough
"My sister said she'd take the dog if anything happened to me." That sentence is the foundation of countless pet care plans that don't survive contact with reality. People move. Relationships change. The sister now has a child with allergies. Her new spouse doesn't want a dog. She agreed five years ago and meant it, but the moment has come and she cannot follow through. The animal ends up in a shelter, at a humane society, or with a family member who isn't prepared.
Designated funds.
The caretaker isn't asked to absorb the cost of veterinary care, food, and routine expenses out of their own pocket. The trust pays.
Named successors.
If the primary caretaker cannot or will not take the animal, a named successor steps in. The chain does not collapse to "wherever the animal ends up."
Standards of care.
The trust can specify the level of veterinary care, type of food, end-of-life decisions, and other preferences that protect your pet from a caretaker whose budget or values differ from yours.
Enforceability.
A trustee with fiduciary duties oversees the funds and the caretaker. The arrangement is legally enforceable — not just morally aspirational.
What a Texas pet trust does
A trust formed under Texas Property Code § 112.037 accomplishes four things:
- Names a caretaker for your animal — the person who will physically take the animal into their home and care for it day-to-day
- Names a trustee to manage the funds — often a different person than the caretaker, creating independent oversight
- Funds the animal's lifetime care — an amount sufficient to cover food, veterinary care, grooming, boarding, and other expected expenses, plus a margin
- Specifies what happens at the animal's death — remaining trust funds pass to a designated beneficiary (a charity, family member, or other purpose)
Who should consider a pet trust?
- Owners of long-lived animals — horses (25-30+ years), parrots (50-70+ years), tortoises (50-100+ years), large reptiles
- Owners with substantial assets and strong attachment to their pets who want the standard of care to continue
- Owners of high-care-needs animals — chronic medical conditions, special diet, behavioral needs
- Owners of exotic or specialized animals requiring specific knowledge or facilities
- Owners without an obvious default caretaker in their family or close circle
- Owners with an unambiguous and reliable family arrangement and an animal with a short remaining expected lifespan
- Owners whose estate plan otherwise adequately handles the issue with a modest direct bequest for pet care
Funding the pet trust
A pet trust only works if it's funded with enough money to actually care for the animal. The right amount depends on the animal's expected remaining lifespan, anticipated annual care costs, and the standard of care you want maintained.
- Annual care cost — food, routine vet, grooming, boarding, insurance, medical reserve. For a dog or cat, often $2,000–$5,000 per year. For a horse, often $5,000–$15,000+. Exotic animals: highly variable.
- Expected remaining lifespan — realistic, based on species, age, and health
- Inflation margin — care costs rise over time
- Reserve for end-of-life and burial/cremation expenses
Texas Property Code § 112.037(d) authorizes courts to reduce funding that substantially exceeds the animal's needs. We help you calibrate funding realistically — enough to ensure the standard of care you want, not so much that the trust attracts a reduction proceeding. The intake form flags amounts well above typical care levels so you can confirm or adjust.
What's included
- Pet Trust Agreement under Tex. Prop. Code § 112.037
- Designation of covered animal(s) — base price covers up to 3 animals; +$47 per additional
- Caretaker designation with successor caretakers
- Trustee designation with successor trustees
- Standards-of-care provisions — veterinary care, diet, exercise, end-of-life decisions, specific instructions
- Funding guidance and instructions (amount and method)
- Distribution provisions for remaining funds at the last animal's death
- Trustee oversight and accounting provisions
- Execution instructions and trust certification
Pricing
Flat fees · attorney-drafted · Texas-statutory
Pet Trust
Complete trust drafting, standards-of-care provisions, funding guidance, execution instructions, trust certification. Base price covers up to 3 animals; +$47 each additional.
Start Pet TrustHow it works
- 1
Tell us about your animal and your plan.
Our intake captures the animal's details, who you want as caretaker, who you want as trustee, the standards of care you want maintained, and your funding plan. About 20 minutes.
- 2
We draft your pet trust.
Trust agreement with all provisions, execution instructions, trust certification. Darryl Pratt reviews and signs off before delivery.
- 3
You execute and fund.
The trust requires execution and notarization. Funding can occur at creation, at your death from your estate, or both. We provide funding guidance and execution instructions.