| State | Pet trust statute | Create yours |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Ala. Code § 19-3B-408 | Alabama pet trust → |
| Alaska | Alaska Statutes § 13.12.907 | Alaska pet trust → |
| Arizona | A.R.S. § 14-10408 | Arizona pet trust → |
| Arkansas | Ark. Code § 28-73-408 | Arkansas pet trust → |
| California | California Probate Code § 15212 | California pet trust → |
| Colorado | C.R.S. § 15-11-901 | Colorado pet trust → |
| Connecticut | Connecticut General Statutes § 45a-489a | Connecticut pet trust → |
| Delaware | 12 Del. C. § 3555 | Delaware pet trust → |
| Florida | Florida Statutes § 736.0408 | Florida pet trust → |
| Georgia | O.C.G.A. § 53-12-28 | Georgia pet trust → |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Revised Statutes § 554D-408 | Hawaii pet trust → |
| Idaho | Idaho Code § 15-7-601 | Idaho pet trust → |
| Illinois | 760 ILCS 3/408 | Illinois pet trust → |
| Indiana | Indiana Code § 30-4-2-18 | Indiana pet trust → |
| Iowa | Iowa Code § 633A.2105 | Iowa pet trust → |
| Kansas | Kan. Stat. § 58a-408 | Kansas pet trust → |
| Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 386B.4-080 | Kentucky pet trust → |
| Louisiana | La. R.S. § 9:2263 | Louisiana pet trust → |
| Maine | 18-B M.R.S. § 408 | Maine pet trust → |
| Maryland | Maryland Code, Estates and Trusts § 14.5-407 | Maryland pet trust → |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 203E, § 408 | Massachusetts pet trust → |
| Michigan | MCL § 700.7408 | Michigan pet trust → |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Statutes § 501C.0408 | Minnesota pet trust → |
| Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 91-8-408 | Mississippi pet trust → |
| Missouri | Missouri Revised Statutes § 456.4-408 | Missouri pet trust → |
| Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 72-2-1017 | Montana pet trust → |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-3834 | Nebraska pet trust → |
| Nevada | Nevada Revised Statutes § 163.0075 | Nevada pet trust → |
| New Hampshire | N.H. RSA § 564-B:4-408 | New Hampshire pet trust → |
| New Jersey | N.J.S.A. 3B:31-24 | New Jersey pet trust → |
| New Mexico | N.M. Stat. § 46A-4-408 | New Mexico pet trust → |
| New York | New York Estates, Powers and Trusts Law § 7-8.1 | New York pet trust → |
| North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 36C-4-408 | North Carolina pet trust → |
| North Dakota | N.D. Cent. Code § 59-12-08 | North Dakota pet trust → |
| Ohio | Ohio Revised Code § 5804.08 | Ohio pet trust → |
| Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 60, § 199 | Oklahoma pet trust → |
| Oregon | Oregon Revised Statutes § 130.185 | Oregon pet trust → |
| Pennsylvania | 20 Pa.C.S. § 7738 | Pennsylvania pet trust → |
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-23-1 | Rhode Island pet trust → |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Code § 62-7-408 | South Carolina pet trust → |
| South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws §§ 55-1-21 to 55-1-21.10 | South Dakota pet trust → |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Code Annotated § 35-15-408 | Tennessee pet trust → |
| Texas | Texas Property Code § 112.037 | Texas pet trust → |
| Utah | Utah Code § 75-2-1001 | Utah pet trust → |
| Vermont | 14A V.S.A. § 408 | Vermont pet trust → |
| Virginia | Virginia Code § 64.2-726 | Virginia pet trust → |
| Washington | Chapter 11.118 RCW | Washington pet trust → |
| Washington, D.C. | D.C. Code § 19-1304.08 | Washington, D.C. pet trust → |
| West Virginia | W. Va. Code § 44D-4-408 | West Virginia pet trust → |
| Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § 701.0408 | Wisconsin pet trust → |
| Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. § 4-10-409 | Wyoming pet trust → |
Citations verified against PetTrust.io's state-specific pet trust instruments · updated August 2026.
Why the statute matters
A pet trust is only as strong as the statute behind it. Some states appoint an enforcer; others create an Animal Trust Protector (Illinois, Vermont), an Animal Protector (Wisconsin), a Trust Protector (Tennessee, Wyoming), or give enforcement rights to the person who has custody of your animal (Washington). Some states require the animal to be alive during your lifetime; Washington's chapter does not. Louisiana runs on civil-law rules with parishes instead of counties. West Virginia calls the trust creator the Grantor and treats oral-only wishes as unenforceable.
PetTrust.io drafts each packet to its own state's framework — the statute above is not a footnote in our documents; it is the backbone of them.
Common questions
Does every U.S. state have a pet trust law?
Yes. Every U.S. state and the District of Columbia has enacted a pet trust statute; Minnesota was the last to adopt one, in 2016. Each statute differs in enforcement roles, duration rules, and what happens to leftover funds.
What is a pet trust?
A legal arrangement, authorized by state statute, that sets aside money and binding instructions for your pet's care if you die or become unable to care for them — with a trustee to manage funds, a caregiver for daily care, and an enforcement mechanism the statute makes legally effective.
Why does the specific state statute matter?
Each statute sets its own rules for who may enforce the trust, whether the animal must be alive during your lifetime, how leftover money is distributed, and how the document should be executed. A packet drafted to the wrong state's framework can miss the protections your state actually provides.
How do I create a pet trust for my state?
Pick your state in the table above to see its statute and start a state-specific packet. The guided questionnaire collects your pet's details, caregivers, trustee, funding choice, and care instructions, then generates documents drafted to your state's pet trust statute.
Keep reading
What is a pet trust? — the definition and the three roles · How to set one up — the seven steps · What it costs — the one-time price and what is included · species guides for dogs, cats, horses, birds, and exotic animals.
Your state has a pet trust law. Use it.
A guided, state-specific pet trust packet — drafted to the statute above, ready to sign.
Start my pet plan →