Message From a Pet Whose Owner Did Not Make Plans

This morning I woke up feeling great. Ran to the door and found my best friend waiting for me. We went for our usual morning walk. My friend does most of the talking, but I am happy just to be listening. My best friend’s words are always soothing and comforting. After our walk, we went back home and had breakfast together. I got kissed on my nose and my best friend went off to work. Now comes my boring time. I walk around the house making sure everything is safe and secure, then I just lay on the couch or the bed or the easy chair waiting for my best friend to come home.

Today is different. Night has fallen. My friend normally is home by now. It is getting late. I’m starting to worry. I hope she gets home soon. I’m starting to get hungry. You know I don’t care if I get to eat or not. I don’t complain. Please come home. I miss you. I am so tired now. Why is it getting light out again? This is so strange. I need to get on the bed. I can smell my friend was here. This is where I feel safe. Wait! I hear someone at the door-it must be her, No, it is someone I don’t know. Who are you? Why are you coming in here? Are you going to hurt me? Rob my friend’s home? What am I supposed to do? I know. I will act mean. I will growl, bark, defend my friend’s home the best that I can. They have just put a leash on me. They are trying to talk calmly to me, but I don’t trust them. I will still act mean. I just heard them say my friend's name and something about a fatal heart attack. Now I am in a small cement barred area. This is not the food I normally eat. These are not the smells I normally smell. I am so scared. I still need to act mean. I know my friend must be trying to find me. I have been here for about a week now. I hear people talking about me being aggressive. Wait. They are opening my door. They are putting that leash on me again. My friend must be here. Now I am in the exam room. Oh I see the needle again. My friend always told me the needles will help keep me healthy. I felt the pinch-this needle is different. Something is happening. I feel very sleepy…where is my friend?

[Reprinted from Companion, Winter 2004, at 3 by permission of Amy Shever, Director of 2nd Chance 4 Pets, found www.professorbeyer.com/Artes/Animal_Other_Material/Letter_from_Pet.htm]

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Who will take care of your Pet when you are unable to?

Estate Planning for your Pets The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.

Planning is Essential
Have you considered what would happen to your pet in the event of your disability or death? Do you have a plan in place?

• To notify certain people so that your pet's care will be uninterrupted
• To notify the caretakers that are pre-selected by you to provide care
• To provide a source of funds for your pet's care
• To inform future caretakers of your pets likes and dislikes, routines, care instructions & wishes regarding burial or cremation

Why Plan?

• Despite a pet’s short life expectancy, the pet may out live you. This is especially true now that medical intervention results in longer life expectancies for pets than in the past.
• Proper planning can provide for a care plan not only in the event of death but also incapacity.
• You can provide for a temporary emergency caregiver in the event that something unexpected happens to you – providing them with keys to your home, feeding and care instructions, the name of your veterinarian, and information about permanent care instructions.
• There is no assurance that if you leave money to someone outright to care for your pet that they will do what they promised to do.
• Providing an orderly plan for your pet is the responsible and loving thing to do.

What is a Pet Trust?
If you are no longer able to provide for the care of your pet, the goal of a PET TRUST is to ensure that there are funds available and a caretaking system in place to care for your pet. A PET TRUST is a legal document you can create so that your pets may be cared for as you yourself have cared for them.

With a PET TRUST, you may:

• Appoint a Caregiver and at least one backup Caregiver to provide care for your pet
• Appoint a Trustee
• Protect the money designated for the pet , allowing it last for the duration of the pet’s life
• Give directions regarding health care needs, exercise needs, diet needs, preferred veterinarian, and burial/cremation plans for your pet.
• Provide that any funds remaining in trust at the death of the pet goes to charity or a family member.
• Provide a method for finding a caretaker in the event that the caretaker or the back-up caretaker you have selected is unavailable.

Trusts are better than Outright Gifts to a Caretaker
Assets in a trust are NOT subject to the caregivers creditors, marital disputes or bankruptcy. If you leave an outright gift of money to a person in your will in exchange for the care of your pet, the money will go to that person’s heirs or beneficiaries at his or her death and will not be available to care for the pet. If you haven’t already…Consult with an Estate Planning Attorney about you providing for your Pet.

Without planning, you are leaving too much up to chance.
The goal of a Pet Trust is to ensure that there are people who will care for your pet, resources available for such care and clear instructions regarding how your pets should be cared for.

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Download a sample of the Pet's Alert Card.