York solicitor’s pet care platform chosen for international legal innovation programme
A Yorkshire solicitor has developed an innovative online tool designed to safeguard the welfare of pets when their owners die, become incapacitated, or separate — and the project has now been selected for an international legal technology incubator.
Rachel Roche, a private client solicitor and founder of York-based Roche Legal, created PetPact, a digital platform that formalises arrangements for pet care in life-changing circumstances. The initiative is one of six UK businesses chosen to join a global innovation programme run by Innovate UK in partnership with the Legal Innovation Zone in Toronto, Canada.
PetPact, a registered trade mark owned by Roche Legal, allows pet owners to record a legally recognised statement of wishes specifying who will care for their animals if they are no longer able to do so. It captures details such as the owner’s and guardian’s names and automatically notifies the pet’s vet by email when a pact is made, ensuring immediate awareness and contact information in case of emergency.
The platform also offers a couples’ version, enabling co-owners to specify arrangements for their pets in the event of a relationship breakdown. Roche said this feature was designed to avoid the emotional and financial strain of disputes over pets. An individual PetPact costs £45, while the couples’ version is £55, with £5 from each sale donated to animal charities.
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Roche explained that the idea emerged five years ago from her concern about what happens to pets when owners die or lose capacity. “I have a dog and two cats and they are my family,” she said. “I always felt there was a lack of adequate provision for them. Testators can leave letters of wishes with their wills, but that doesn’t go far enough.”
She noted that executors do not always communicate such wishes, leading to distressing outcomes. “We’ve seen horrible situations where pets have been left trapped in houses because nobody knew they existed,” she said. Even when pets are specifically bequeathed to someone, the recipient is not legally bound to keep them.
“What I’m trying to do is work with the law as it currently stands, so there is more certainty about what will happen to pets,” Roche said. “It’s about encouraging people to plan ahead and avoid disputes.”
While the PetPact document is not automatically binding, users can choose to have it incorporated into their will or made legally enforceable through Roche Legal’s private client services.
The platform launched earlier this month, funded entirely by Roche herself. Her firm employs seven full-time staff, including a consultant solicitor, and works with external consultants.
Following its selection for the international incubator, Roche spent time in Toronto as part of the six-month global scaling programme. Participants receive full funding, mentorship and international exposure, culminating in a pitch to investors in March next year. She said the website was “fully functional and working like a dream” — all that remained was attracting its first customers.
Roche noted that courts and judges in the UK, US and Canada increasingly recognise pets as part of the family and are beginning to discuss their “best interests” in legal decisions. “We’re looking for legislation to keep pace with what judges are already saying,” she explained, adding that she wants to see laws evolve so pets are treated more like dependants than property.
With more than half of UK households owning a pet, Roche described the sector as “already enormous” and poised for further growth. Looking ahead, she hopes to build PetPact into a fully bespoke digital platform offering more dynamic agreements, enhanced options, and interactive updates for users.
“The law needs to keep pace with how we live now,” Roche said. “People see pets as part of their families, and the legal system should reflect that reality.”