National Will Week can provide the opportunity for many to tend to legal admin that often gets placed on the backburner, says TEARS.

Why Having a Will Matters

Making a will means the assets go to the people (and causes) an individual chooses. That right is called "freedom of testation", and it only works if the will itself is valid. This is why the LSSA (Law Society of South Africa) encourages people to have their wills drawn up by an attorney rather than a template dished up by a Google search, says TEARS.

Simply put, a will drafted without the right legal knowledge often doesn't hold up when it matters most. If an individual passes away without a valid will, then the Intestate Succession Act decides on behalf of them.

According to TEARS, while the stystem has merit, a fair sy, it can also result in:

  • assets going to people that weren't chosen
  • a lengthy process to appoint an executor, possibly someone unfamiliar to the family
  • unnecessary costs and delays, and
  • conflict among loved ones with no clear instructions to follow. 

Wills Week is about people. But for many, "family" includes pets as well as the causes they've supported for years. Animals can't be named as beneficiaries directly, but the organisations working to protect animals like them can be. This includes making profisions for them to avoid family and friends having to make difficult decisions, says TEARS.

TEARS says that leaving a gift for the NPO costs nothing and can be a way of extending compassion that will benefit pets in the long-term.

What a Legacy Gift to TEARS Actually Does

According to TEARS, a bequest, big or small, can help:

  • rescue more dogs and cats from neglect and abuse
  • provide veterinary treatment through the TEARS clinic
  • support pet feeding and sterilisation programmes in low-income communities, and
  • rehome animals until every enclosure is empty.

Your Will, Their Future

TEARS says that individuals don't need a large estate to leave a large impact, and a single line in a will can be enough to help the NPO keep doing this work in the future.

Law firm STBB — a long-time TEARS supporter —  is offering help with your planning and drafting wills at no cost. TEARS concludes that this isn't just for Wills Week, STBB is offering the service free of charge year-round. The only proviso is that individuals bequeath something to TEARS in their will.

For more information, visit www.tears.org.za. You can also follow TEARS on Facebook, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor