Providing for Your Pets After You are Gone: When There’s a Will, There’s a Way!

  Posted on September 23, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

The Spirit of Bo, here to educate and enlighten the earthly souls: Even though is has been a while since my passing, I feel it is my obligation to return on occasion to provide helpful and insightful information with respect to you and your relationship with your pets. Yes, I still get time for “cat naps” in Heaven, but this particular subject matter has been weighing on my mind lately.

While today’s topic does border on the unappealing and is something about which most of us do not wish to ponder, it is important…

Do you have measures in place to protect your pet in the event you are no longer able to or are no longer living?

To many people, pets are like family members and are often treated as such. Do you have systems in place that allow for their continued care after you are gone?

According to the aspca.org web site, here are a few suggestions to get you started or at least thinking in these terms:

1)   Carry a pet alert card in your wallet. This is a small card that simply states you have pet(s) at home who need attention. The card should also list two emergency contacts with names and phone numbers.

2)   Create a pet dossier for each pet, which is essentially a document that provides information about your pet, such as its habits, food preferences, dietary conditions, medications, and behavior towards other pets, adults and children.

3)   Consider drawing up an informal or formal arrangement for your pet(s) for future care in the event of your passing. This might include a pet protection agreement; a will; a pet trust; or a letter of instruction, which designates a future caregiver.

While all of this may sound morbid, it is essential that you consider your pets when engaging in matters of your personal estate and affairs.

No, this post does not have Party Marty’s sarcastic sense of humor infecting it nor Jessie’s “Queen Bee” tone written all over it, but it had to be said! Carry on! I shall return again at an unexpected time!