Pet Trust/Pet Guardian Addendum

Your dog doesn’t care about probate. If you want to make sure your pets are fed, loved, and taken care of after you're gone (or if you're just temporarily unable), this does the job. It lays out who takes over and how they’re supposed to treat your furry family like their own.

What It Does

• Names a guardian for your non-people buds;

• Assigns money for their care and outlines your expectations;

• Is legally binding and isn’t just a, "please take care of my dog" note.

What It Doesn’t Do

• Override your Will; this is an addendum, not a replacement;

• Apply to livestock or commercial animal operations;

• Force someone to keep your pet against their will (choose your peeps wisely).

Who Needs to Sign

• You need to sign, but get a couple people to witness and you’ll want he guardian to accept their responsibilities.

Does It Need to Be Notarized in Michigan?

Not required, but notarizing it makes it easier to enforce and attach to your estate plan. If it’s paired with a Will, follow the same signing formalities.

Bottom Line

Don't leave your pet’s future to chance or a kill shelter. This form keeps your animals out of the shelter and in good hands; with a plan and the money to make it happen.

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