January 29, 2009

Winston-Salem Journal - 4-Legged Kids: More pet owners are establishing trusts to pay for the care of their animals after owners die

The first reported pet trust case in the United States took place in Kentucky in 1923, according to estate law professor Gerry Beyer at Texas Tech University in an online article titled “Pet Animals: What Happens When Their Humans Die?” The courts upheld the owner’s right to provide for her dog, but the case didn’t spur similar sentiments at the time, Beyer said, with the trend not starting until the late 20th century.