Leaving a bequest
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Bequest Animal Program
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Solicitors & Will writers
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A
bequest to the RSPCA is your way of making a real difference to animals
in need. Your bequest will help us continue to care for more than 37,000
animals that come into our care every year.
Bequests
enable us to plan for the future, achieve more and ensure that animals
in need will continue to receive the vital animal welfare services that
RSPCA Victoria provides.
Your
bequest means a great deal to RSPCA Victoria, and to assist you in
writing your bequest, please see our Bequest Brochure with recommended
wording for your will.
If your bequest is to include the care of any animals you have at the time of your passing, please see information on our Bequest Animal Program.
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Bequest Animal Program
The RSPCA Victoria Bequest Animal Program
(BAP) has now been operating for more than 20 years and provides pet
owners with the comfort of knowing their pets will be loved and cared
for if they can no longer look after them. The program allows pet owners
to make provision in their will for the lifelong care of their animal.
Registration for the program involves the
completion of a registration form and confirmation of a minimum bequest
to RSPCA Victoria. The cost of registration is dependant on the type and
number of animals, and is used to cover the cost of veterinary
treatment for the animal for the rest of his/her life.
Pet owners become unable to care for their
pets for a number of reasons. They may move into a care facility where
they cannot take their animal, become unwell or pass away.
Animals
registered on the BAP are accepted by the RSPCA in all of these cases.
The animals become the legal responsibility of the RSPCA and are then
placed in carefully selected permanent foster homes.
Special care is
taken to place animals according to the conditions outlined in the
registration process. As far as possible animals are placed in homes
that closely replicate the one they have come from.
Foster carers are responsible for providing a
safe and comfortable home for the animal, and attending to its daily
needs such as feeding, exercising, grooming and payment of local council
registration fees.
All veterinary fees for the animal are covered by
the bequest left to the RSPCA by the original owner.
The RSPCA keeps in
contact with foster carers and make annual visits to our special bequest
animals and their new families.
For further information on the Bequest Animal
Program please download our brochure or phone the Donor Relations Team
on (03) 9224 2280 or email bequests@rspcavic.org.au
Including the Bequest Animal Program in your Will
Just as your Will allows
you to make provisions for friends and family, the Bequest Animal
Program allows you to extend plan for your pets.
To include your pet in the Bequest Animal
Program, you must include specific wording in your Will. This allows
the RSPCA to take full responsibility for your pet. A minimum bequest
amount of at least $6,000 must be allowed to help provide for the
ongoing veterinary costs for the life of your pet.
Making or changing a Will is not expensive or
difficult, and a solicitor or trustee company can help you.
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Wording for a general bequest
You or your client may wish to leave a
bequest to the RSPCA either as a specific amount, percentage of estate
or the residue of estate. By making a percentage or residue bequest,
you can ensure that family members and loved ones are provided for and
that the value of the bequest will not be eroded over time.
A bequest means a great deal to the RSPCA. It
will be used to fund critical animal welfare services as soon as the
bequest is realised, with any surplus funds to be invested for long-term
RSPCA operations.
To ensure that the wishes of you or your client are
accurately carried out, it is important to use the correct wording.
For
your convenience, we include the following recommendations on how you
can word your bequest:
“After payment of
all my debts, funeral and testamentary expenses and all duties, taxes
and charges payable on my Estate at my death, I give The Royal Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Victoria):
[insert amount]% of my estate for the general purposes of the RSPCA;
OR
The residue of my Estate for the general purposes of the RSPCA;
OR
The sum of $[insert amount] for the general purposes of the RSPCA;
I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or other proper officer of the RSPCA will be sufficient discharge for my Trustees”.
Bequest Animal Program wording (clauses)
The following are examples of appropriate
wording of gifts in conjunction with the Bequest Animal Program.
Example 1:
“After payment of all my debts, funeral and
testamentary expenses and all duties, taxes and charges payable on my
Estate at my death, I give to The Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (Victoria) (“RSPCA”):
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my surviving pets; and,
- [insert amount] % of my Estate for the
general purposes of the RSPCA; on condition that my surviving pets be
cared for under the RSPCA’s Bequest Animal Program or other relevant
program or policy from time to time. The gift under sub-clause 2 will
not fail if I do not own any pets at the time of my death. I declare
that the receipt of the treasurer or other proper officer of the RSPCA
will be sufficient discharge for my Trustees.”
Example 2:
“After payment of all my debts, funeral and
testamentary expenses and all duties, taxes and charges payable on my
Estate at my death, I give to The Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (Victoria) (“RSPCA”):
-
my surviving pets; and,
-
the sum of $[insert amount] for the general
purposes of the RSPCA; on condition that my surviving pets be cared for
under the RSPCA’s Bequest Animal Program or other relevant program or
policy from time to time. The gift under sub-clause 2 will not fail if I
do not own any pets at the time of my death. I declare that the receipt
of the treasurer or other proper officer of the RSPCA will be
sufficient discharge for my Trustees.”
Example 3:
“After payment of all my debts, funeral and
testamentary expenses and all duties, taxes and charges payable on my
Estate at my death, I give to The Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (Victoria) (“RSPCA”):
-
my surviving pets; and,
-
the residue of my Estate for the general
purposes of the RSPCA on condition that my surviving pets be cared for
under the RSPCA’s Bequest Animal Program or other relevant program or
policy from time to time. The gift under sub-clause 2 will not fail if I
do not own any pets at the time of my death. I declare that the receipt
of the treasurer or other proper officer of the RSPCA will be
sufficient discharge for my Trustees".
Bequest Animal Program - FAQs
Can my client leave a bequest specifically for an animal (ie name the pet)?
We recommend that a bequest is made that
includes ‘my surviving pets’ rather than for a particular pet. This
saves altering or updating a Will if the individual acquires another
pet. It is important, however, for pets to be individually registered so
that their needs can be properly met.
Can the gift be conditional on Bequest Animal Program?
The RSPCA relies on community support to
continue operating. Our preference is to encourage individuals to
recognise this in their Will, however there is no obligation for the
gift to be conditional on the Bequest Animal Program, if there are no
living animals.
What is the minimum bequest amount to include an animal on the Bequest Animal Program?
Individuals must make a gift of at least $6000
per pet for inclusion in the Bequest Animal Program. This amount will
cover veterinary treatment for the life of the animal and boarding at
RSPCA facilities, once in foster care. Many clients decide to leave more
than the minimum amount for the ongoing care of their pet. Any amount
not used for veterinary care is directed to the services of the RSPCA.
What will my client receive?
When your client registers their pet, they will
receive an emergency kit that includes a wallet card and a fridge
magnet. These are designed to alert people to the fact that, in an
emergency, your client has animals that can be taken to the RSPCA for
care. Your client will also receive an identification disc to attach to
their pet’s collar or cage. This disc will include their pet on the
RSPCA database. All ‘bequest animals’ are clearly identified on the
database for appropriate care in case of an emergency.
How will RSPCA be notified that the pet needs immediate care?
We encourage Bequest Animal Program registrants
to inform their executor/s, family and friends of their intentions for
their animals. With this, and the mechanisms described above, we have
created many avenues for the RSPCA to be notified of an animal’s need.
Why is it so important to register?
Registration allows the owner of the pet to
provide information about their pet’s daily habits, routines and likes
and dislikes. This information is used to rehome the animal in a
suitable environment and minimise the stress associated with such a
move. Through registration, the animal will also be provided with the
safeguards outlined above. These are designed to ensure that loved pets
are never left without care.
Can you guarantee that the animal will find a home?
We hold a register of individuals who have
committed their interest in fostering through this program. The Bequest
Animal Program runs very separately to the RSPCA adoption program.
Foster carers have the ongoing support of RSPCA vets and animal
behaviour specialists to help them understand and care properly for pets
with particular illnesses. This support means that almost all
bequeathed animals have been successfully rehomed.
What if my client wants to offer a friend or family member the option of caring for their pet?
Sometimes an individual may wish to nominate a
‘preferred foster carer’ such as a friend or family member. In such
cases, the ‘preferred foster carer’ and the owner will enjoy the
benefits of the Bequest Animal Program. Potential ‘preferred foster
carers’ should contact the RSPCA to make these arrangements.
Does the RSPCA require a copy of the Will?
For completeness of our files, we prefer to have
a copy of the Will on file. This can help us to fulfil the long-term
intentions of the owners. In the case of non-standard or conditional
bequests, it is important for our legal team to have the opportunity to
view the will. We can then be confident that we can meet the
requirements of the Will.
What is the role of the foster carer?
Foster carers are responsible for the everyday
care of the ‘bequest animals’, including food, bedding and grooming, and
of course, love and attention. RSPCA Victoria remains the owner of the
animal, and maintains constant contact with the foster carers to ensure
that they are being cared for in the manner that their owner’s would
expect. Foster carers have the full support of RSPCA vets and animal
behaviour staff.
How does the RSPCA select foster carers?
Foster carers are selected based on their
ability to provide a home environment that will suit the animal. We
strive to place animals in an environment similar to the one that they
have known. This reduces the amount of stress for the animal. Before an
animal is placed in care, the RSPCA performs a home assessment of the
potential foster carer, and arranges a meeting of the carer and animal
in a neutral place. We ensure that each foster carer is fully aware of
the animal’s needs and have an understanding of the commitment expected.
Additional documentation:  Writing a General Bequest to the RSPCA
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