Does your will cover your pet?

Ana Holden says her cats Hannah and Marmite are beloved members of her family, so it made sense to add them into her will.

The Wellington woman wrote a will via Public Trust when it was offered through an employer.

"The process itself was geared towards what am I going to do with my assets and my house, car, money? Then it had this option of 'other' and gave the example of pets. I thought 'that's a really good idea'."

She said when she was growing up, her father brought home cats from the retirement home where he worked whose owners had died.

"I thought that would probably stop that from happening, if anything were to happen to me they wouldn't end up with a stranger."

Her will said her cats should go to her husband in the first instance, and then to her mother-in-law or her sister if he were no longer around.

"It's been geared up to be the same as with our child, so if anything happens to us then our child and our fur children will go to the same home, to the same caregiver."

She said a lot of people just assumed that their families would look after their pets.

"It's the same with your kids, your family might not necessarily take your child in, you have to have those conversations with them ... My cats are my babies. I had them before I had my actual baby. I really love them. I'm in my 30s and my older cat is from my early 20s so they are my babies and you just want the best for them."

The will applies to any other animals she might have in future, too.

Public Trust said only about one in 20 wills written by its customers included pets, but that increased to 10 percent of wills for millennial women.

"We love our pets like family. We buy them organic food, heated blankets, special shampoo and toys. But while we invest in their day-to-day wellbeing, most people still haven't made clear plans for what would happen to their pets when they die," chief executive Glenys Talivai said.

She said many people assumed they would outlive their pets, so did not need to bother.

"There's also a common assumption a friend or family member will take on the pet when the owner dies. But who is that person? Are they able to provide the care your pet needs? It's best to check. One of our customers has planned this carefully, finding the right home for each of her pets - with her axolotl going to one sister and her cat to another."

She said it was very important to make sure that your intended recipient was willing.

Public Trust sometimes found that family members were not able to look after pets that a will had left them, which could create a difficult situation. "It's just reinforcing the importance of conversations and really thinking about what you want to happen."

In New Zealand, pets are treated as property under the law. That means they couldn't be left a sum of money or property directly but owners could nominate a person to care for them and could leave funds for their care in a will and set out how they'd like them looked after through a statement of wishes.

"Even small details, like noting down their diet, medication, the treats they love, and daily routines can make a big difference to an animal's wellbeing. A little planning goes a long way in making sure your pet is looked after as you would want," Talivai said.

In a survey of more than 1000 New Zealanders, pet owners told Public Trust they were more emotionally invested in their pets than their love life, finances, career, friends or extended family.

Pets ranked only behind children, grandchildren and a significant other.

"I can't remember a time in my life where I haven't had a pet," Talivai said.

She said people could also consider options like the SPCA Giving Hearts Pet Legacy Plan, if they did not have anyone they could leave their pets to, and wanted to know they would be looked after.

"The SPCA have seen that that's a common problem that people may have in terms of thinking about pets that they might have and what happens after they've gone."

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