According to an article in the Journal, there are 42 states that allow for legal trusts for pets. There are some caveats to some of the legislation. In some states, the trustee does not have to abide by the wishes of the deceased. Knowing this information could make seniors who are thinking about adopting a dog more confident that they can make legal arrangements for their pets. Every time that I go on vacation, I leave a note stating what I want done with my dogs and how much should be left to whomever takes them. I have a friend who is 86 and as soon as she got her puppy, when she was 82, she made arrangements with people to take the dog and made a pet trust. There are books on pet legislation that anyone can get to find out about the legalities related to pet ownership. Check out the Animal Legal Defense Fund website to find out more about resources to help you draft a pet trust. If you have done this, please let us know about the process.