Cat’s bed-sharing request was a will with a difference for Chesterfield law firm

They are among a list of demands – also including hand-picked birthday gifts, occasional additional surprises, outdoor bathing on a hot summer’s day and an insistence of sharing your bed with the pampered feline – on a Pet Letter of Wishes.

With lockdown causing a big increase in pet ownership, the situation has also brought about a spike in a lesser known area of the legal world – the Pet Letter of Wishes.

The document – often described as a will for pets – lets the owner map out a care plan for the animal after they have gone, decides who will attend to their every whim and then provides them with the funds to pay for everything.

And for one cat, it was a five-figure sum to cover a two page list of demands.

However, one Chesterfield firm says the case is not unusual – and it expects more demands if the rise in pet ownership continues.

Dog-owner Katie Birch, a private client advisor in the wills and probate department at Saltergate-based Graysons Solicitors, said: “We’re well versed in dealing with complicated wills, but we’re now finding the Pet Letter of Wishes is becoming more and more common.

“Pets provide great companionship and it’s not surprising the numbers owning them have increased dramatically since the first lockdown. It’s only natural that you’d want to ensure they have a happy life after you’re gone.”

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