Giving Animals a Future booklet
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a Future: Giving Animals
A Guide to Wills
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
What Will Your Legacy for Animals Be?
PETA’s work is crucial to the countless animals who suffer each day. We are their strongest advocate, and we fight each instance of cruelty not only with tremendous passion but also with experience and determination. Gifts left to us in wills give us the long-term security and flexibility to embark on ambitious and pioneering campaigns that save and improve the lives of millions of animals. Each and every one of our supporters helps further our unique life-saving work for animals, and we deeply appreciate you for considering a gift to PETA in your will. We know that the decisions you make are of the most personal nature and that they represent your vision for allowing your compassion to continue into the future. A gift to PETA in your will would be a heartfelt and enduring way to express your love for animals. Very truly yours,
Ingrid E Newkirk Founder
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
Why Do I Need a Will? A will is a convenient (and often simple and straightforward) way to distribute assets to those you love. It is particularly important if you have dependent children, and it also records your wishes with regard to any animal companions and funeral plans. If you die without a will, there are certain rules which dictate how your money, property, and possessions should be allocated. This may not be the way that you would have wanted your money and possessions to be distributed. For that reason, it’s important to have a valid will so that your wishes will be honoured. A will is also a powerful way to help animals: by remembering PETA in your will, you can be confident that we will continue to make a positive difference in the lives of countless animals after you’re gone.
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
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Your Will,Your Legacy You can use your will both to provide for your loved ones and to ensure that the fight against cruelty and exploitation continues beyond your lifetime. There are a number of ways that you can support PETA in your will: • A percentage of your residuary estate, which is the remainder after all other gifts and debts have been paid (residuary gift): this way of giving ensures that those you care about are provided for first and that the remainder can be left to causes that are important to you. • A cash sum (pecuniary gift): this is a fixed amount of cash. • A specific item of value (such as jewellery or a painting): such items would be sold at the best possible price, and the funds raised would go towards helping animals. Legacy gifts of any size are welcome, and because PETA is a charity, your gift would not be subject to inheritance tax, which means that 100 per cent of the amount would go directly to PETA. The suggested wording on the following page can be used when drafting your will.
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
Suggested Language
Residuary Bequest I give all (or a
per cent share of) the residue of my estate to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation – registered charity number 1056453 and registered address at 78 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6AF – to be used for its general purposes. I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or a duly authorised officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge. Pecuniary Bequest I give to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation – registered charity number 1056453 and registered address at 78 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6AF – the sum of £ [words and figures] to be used for its general purposes. I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or a duly authorised officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge. If you already have a will and would like to include the PETA Foundation – registered charity number 1056453 – you can add a “codicil” (a supplement to your will), such as the example given below. I, [Name], of [Address], declare this to be a (first/second) codicil to my will, dated . In addition to any legacies given in my said will, I give to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation – registered charity number 1056453 and registered address at 78 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6AF – the sum of £ (or a specific item or a per cent share of my estate*) to be used for its general purposes. I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or a duly authorised officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge. In all other respects, I confirm my said will and any other codicils thereto. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this day of in the year . Signed by the said [Name] as (first/second) codicil to the will in our presence and then by us in (his/her) presence.
*Note: You must ensure that the cumulative residuary in your will and codicil(s) totals 100 per cent of your residuary estate. A residue or residuary gift is what is left in your estate after costs, debts, fees, pecuniary gifts (cash), and specific gifts (items such as jewellery, etc.) have been paid and distributed. The residue can be divided up according to your wishes.
[Signatures, names, and addresses of both witnesses]
PETA Foundation cannot provide legal advice. We strongly suggest that you consult a solicitor to ensure that your will is in compliance with all applicable laws.
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
The Plan Questionnaire 7
- Step Legacy
What Are My Goals for My Legacy? 1. 2. 3. 4. For Whom Do I Need to Plan? Animal Companion(s) Spouse Domestic Partner Children Grandchildren
The 7 Steps 1. Inventory My Assets 2. Plan for My Animal Companions 3. Plan for Myself and Others 4. Plan My Philanthropy 5. Complete My Paperwork 6. Monitor and Revise 7. Join the Augustus Club
Other Family Members Friends My Favourite Charity or Charities Other
What Are My Assets? Cash
Real Estate Business Ownership Personal Property (eg, vehicle, boat, jewellery) Other
Savings Account Current Account Shares Pension Plans Life Insurance
What Legacy Plans Do I Have? Bequest and Guardian Designation for My Animal Companion(s) Power of Attorney – Ordinary and Lasting Will Living Trust Outright Gift Other
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
“We didn’t need to think about whether we should include PETA in our will – that was a ‘no-brainer’, as they say. We know that every penny will be used to help stop animal abuse and carry on the work we want our money to be used for.” Alan and Julie Bowyer ”I searched for an international organisation that would never accept defeat in its mission to protect all animals. I found this in PETA and support all their aims without reservation. Staffed by dedicated, highly qualified professionals who follow their ideals, PETA is the most tenacious animal rights organisation in the world.” Bear de Mel “PETA actively works towards changing people’s minds and attitudes towards animals. As much as we’d like to see the end of all discrimination in our lifetime, animal rights will take longer than that to achieve. We decided that PETA is the organisation to carry on this ideal on our behalf.” Graham and Stefania Barker Meet Fellow Members Who Have Left a Legacy for Animals
“I support PETA because I want the world to be a better place for all animals. Including PETA in my will to play my part in making that happen was a very easy thing to do.” Tara Frost
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
Planning for Your Animal Companions Our animal companions are an important part of our families, and we know how much they depend on us. It is therefore important for us to make preparations now for their future care in case something happens to us – in order to ensure their well-being and to make their transition to a life without us as stress-free as possible. The following are some steps you can take to ensure that your animal companions are cared for: • Identify one or more people who can come into your home at a moment’s notice to care for and console your animals until their long-term care has been arranged. It is important for the person to be familiar with your animals and vice versa. • Files on each of your animal companions should be kept at your home – they will be helpful in an emergency as well as for finding new homes, if necessary. The files should include, at a minimum, people to contact in an emergency; your animals’ names, ages, and genders; the name and address of your veterinarian; your animals’ diets, feeding schedules, personalities, and likes and dislikes as well as a description of their current lifestyle. The files should be updated at least once a year, and critical information should be carried in your wallet as well. • Select a long-term caretaker or caretakers for your animals – this should be someone you trust. It’s a good idea to name one or more backups and to keep the list current. Information about your animals should be shared annually with the potential long-term caretakers as well as those who will be providing immediate care. • Consult your solicitor to complete your plans. You should consider providing for the future of your animal companions in your estate plans. • Put an “animals inside” sticker on the front and back doors or windows of your house for emergency workers or if you have animals who might hide from strangers.
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
Augustus Club The Augustus Club is a vital community of PETA members who have chosen to make long-term gifts to aid in our fight against cruelty to animals. In the late 1970s, 17 monkeys were purchased by an American animal experimenter who worked in Silver Spring, Maryland. Augustus was one of them. In its first eyewitness investigation, PETA US exposed the extreme cruelty and neglect that Augustus and the other Silver Spring monkeys endured. The investigation resulted in the first arrest and conviction of an animal experimenter in the US for cruelty to animals and the first US Supreme Court victory for animals in laboratories. Despite the ongoing custody battle, Augustus was experimented on and killed in July 1990. There are few who inspire our tenacious work more than he does. His noble image, dignity, and defencelessness make him a fitting symbol of the plight of all animals who have endured – and are today enduring – callous and abusive treatment. The memory of Augustus will forever give us strength, and his name and the Augustus Club are our way of giving special recognition to the legacy of compassion created by those who make a legacy gift to PETA.
Create a Legacy for Animals • PETA.org.uk/Legacy
More Ways to Support PETA Looking for more great ways to help animals? Here are some other ways to support PETA’s critical and unique work for animals: • Become a Guardian for Animals by making a monthly pledge to PETA. You will be helping to cut our administrative costs, ensuring that more of your donation goes directly towards helping animals. • Become a Vanguard Society member with a donation of £250 or more. PETA’s Vanguard Society is a special group of committed PETA donors at the forefront of many of our ground-breaking victories for animals. • Give a memorial gift in honour of someone who was a friend to animals or in memory of a beloved animal companion. Supporting PETA’s programmes to create a kinder world is a thoughtful tribute to the memory of a loved one. • Become a PETA Business Friend and highlight your animal-friendly products or services. PETA Business Friends are an innovative partnership for compassionate companies willing to assist in PETA’s important work to stop animal abuse and suffering. The mission of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation is to protect animals from exploitation and cruelty and to bring about positive changes in the ways that humans regard other species. We seek to expose animal abuse so that it will not be perpetuated. We believe that animals have an intrinsic worth, apart from their utility to humans, and should not be reduced to human commodities. Animals, therefore, are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. Ultimately, we strive to foster a world in which animals are respected and people are aware of and concerned about the ways in which their daily decisions affect the lives of other sentient beings. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation – a charitable company limited by guarantee, with its registered office at 78 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6AF. Registered in England and Wales as charity number 1056453, company number 3135903.
PETA Foundation PO Box 70315 London N1P 2RG 020 7837 6327
Legacies@peta.org.uk PETA.org.uk/Legacy
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