Care for Your Pet From Beyond the Grave

Plenty of pet owners want to make sure their beloved Fido is taken care of once his master is gone. But not all of them realize that Fido has about as many rights to inherit cash as the "Beware of Dog" sign on the lawn.

Specific laws vary from state to state, but pets are considered property by the government and therefore cannot inherit their owners' estate.

Forty-nine states and Washington, D.C., have adopted or proposed some type of "pet trust" regulation, according to the National Association for Biomedical Research.

Earlier this summer, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a measure that changed its rules from honorary to enforceable. However, 13 states still do not have a comprehensive, enforceable code -- a worrisome fact for pet owners across the country. ...