Because the law considers pets personal property and not human beings, pets cannot own property, and a pet owner cannot leave money or assets to a pet in a will or a trust. But a pet owner can provide for the care and well-being of a pet or pets in a traditional trust or in a statutory pet trust (authorized under a state’s statutes).

For example, the pet owner (known as the grantor, settlor, or trustor) will create a trust for a named pet or pets (the beneficiary or beneficiaries of the trust), place money or income-producing assets in the trust and name a trustee to manage and administer the trust for the benefit of the pet or pets, as provided in the trust agreement.

For a brief summary of each state’s pet trust laws and the state statutes where you can find them, copy and paste this URL in your internet browser: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-planning/pet-trust-laws

In Iowa, pet owners can create a trust to ensure the care and well-being of their pets after the owner's death or incapacitation. Iowa's pet trust law is codified in Iowa Code section 633A.2105, which allows for the creation of a trust for the care of an animal alive during the settlor's lifetime. The trust can be enforced by an individual designated in the trust document, or if no one is designated, by an individual appointed by the court. The trust terminates upon the death of the animal or, if the trust was established to provide for the care of more than one animal, upon the death of the last surviving animal. The law ensures that the trust is used solely for the intended purpose of the pet's care and provides a mechanism for the court to intervene if necessary to enforce the trust or to address any issues that arise regarding the trust's administration.