Each year 500,000 animals are put to death--but they're not strays. They're pets whose owners have died and there was no one to care for them. Some pet owners have found a way to keep that from happening by setting up a pet trust. That's where you name someone or a financial institution to follow your instructions for the care of your pet after you're gone.

The simplest way to provide for your pet is through your will. But if you want to have more control over what happens to your pet, then you want to set up a pet trust.

Consumer Reports Money Adviser says you can set up a trust for just about any type of animal: dogs, cats, even horses and birds. And you can spell out their care--sometimes in great detail. Singer Dusty Springfield left instructions that her cat have her recordings played at bedtime.

Using an attorney to set up a pet trust can cost thousands of dollars. A much less expensive option is go online to petguardian.com, where it costs about $500. The site can also help you do a cost analysis to determine how much money to set aside.

Making sure they have left enough money is a special challenge for bird owners. Parrots, for example, can live for about 80 years. And be careful when naming a beneficiary in case there's money left when your pet dies. You don't want it to be the same person who is taking care of the pet because you don't want them to benefit from your pet's death.

You can also leave your pet to an animal sanctuary. But make sure to name an alternative caregiver in case the sanctuary closes down. You can find more options to make sure your pet is cared for after you're gone at ConsumerReports.org - Leaving a legacy to your pet

Trust For Your Pet - NewsChannel 9 WSYR

Thanks Mike. That's fantastic information. I didn't know a trust was better than a will.