When actress Diane Keaton died last year, she reportedly left her golden retriever, Reggie, around $5 million through a pet trust. While the amount may seem like the kind of over-the-top gesture only a celebrity might make, experts say taking steps to ensure a beloved pet will be cared for if you die or become incapacitated is a gift of love.
"If you have no plan, you’re really leaving your pet’s fate up to chance," says Vicki Stevens, director of program management and communications for the companion animals department of the nonprofit Humane World for Animals.
