Leaving a legacy for animals: how to make your care outlast a lifetime
What if your care for animals did not stop with your own life? With a legacy, you make sure animals in need are not left alone later either. Here is how leaving a gift to animals works, explained honestly.
For some people, care for animals never stops. A legacy is a way to pass that care on, even when you are no longer here. It is a quiet, powerful choice: you make sure animals in need are not left alone in the future either.
What is a legacy to animals?
A legacy means you set out in your will that part of your estate goes to a charity. That can be a fixed amount (a specific gift) or a share of your estate. For animals, it means resources that will later go to care, transport and shelter.
Why people choose to leave a gift to animals
Not everyone has heirs, and not everyone wants to keep everything within the family. Anyone who felt connected to animals throughout their life can carry that connection forward. It is not a goodbye to your values, but a way of setting them down.
Honest about tax and ANBI
A legacy to an ANBI (a charity recognised by the Dutch tax authority) is exempt from inheritance tax, so your full gift reaches the cause. Important and honest: our ANBI status has been applied for and is not yet granted. That exemption only applies once ANBI is granted. We will state it here as soon as it is.
What to keep in mind
A legacy should be arranged carefully. Always take advice from a notary or legal advisor: they put your wishes on paper correctly and can explain what a specific gift or share of your estate means for your situation. Want to talk with us first about what a legacy for animals makes possible? Feel free to get in touch.
A legacy is not a sum of money. It is the promise that your care for animals continues, even when you are gone.
Frequently asked questions
What people often ask us
Short, honest answers to the questions people ask most.
How do I leave a gift to animals in need?
You set out in your will that an amount (a specific gift) or a share of your estate goes to an animal charity. A notary or legal advisor puts this on paper correctly. Feel free to contact us first to discuss your wishes.
Is a legacy to an animal charity tax-free?
A legacy to a recognised ANBI is exempt from Dutch inheritance tax. Our ANBI status has been applied for but is not yet granted, so that exemption does not apply yet. As soon as ANBI is granted, we will state it here. Take advice from a notary.
What is the difference between a specific gift and a share of the estate?
A specific gift is a fixed amount or item you leave. A share of the estate makes the charity a (co-)heir for part of your estate. A notary explains which suits your situation best.
Do I need a large estate to leave a legacy?
No. Even a small gift helps. Leaving a legacy is not about size, but about the choice to carry your connection to animals into the future.
Iris van Loon is editor-in-chief at Stichting Animal Protect and writes about animal welfare, emergency care and honest giving. Every article is fact-checked before publication; cost figures are indicative.
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