Between our City Dog Bags, preparing our pups to be Elderbulls, and all the work that goes into this, I thought we had this whole dog preparation thing down.
But after dodging some near-miss speeding cars, reading about random sinkholes opening up, and departing on a trip abroad, we realized there was one big thing we hadn't really prepared for:
What would happen to our dogs if something happens to both of us?
But after really thinking about it, I wasn't sure who would be at the point where they could immediately add two large dogs into the mix when they already had their own pets, young kids, or lived in places that were difficult to own a pit bull-type dog...let alone two.
So I'm curious...to what degree have you planned for what to do with your dogs if something happens to you? If you have multiple dogs would you split them up? Do you have a back-up plan to your plan? And how do you let people know your wishes and make it "official"?
Also:
This and this were a bit more lighthearted topics.
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27 comments:
My sister and I have back up plans with each other for our dogs as well as money set aside for their care
Very tough as I don;t have family in this country. I have made arrangements with some friends and Max and Lola are part of my estate planning just as if I were to have children, with monies going with them to their caretakers. But unfortunately, situations change that can't always be predicted and so will probably have to update. I can't stop one potential guardian from taking a fantastic job in a region where BSL is heavily enforced, or another friend from adopting their own dog in the meantime. But all we can do is try to make as many arrangements as possible.
I was just talking about this the other day... I don't have a plan. I need to figure that out.... STAT.
Emily @ Our Waldo Bungie
www.ourwaldobungie.com
My parents have already said Leroy would come to them. My brother in law might be next, if my sister would let him.
I'd not thought about costs to fund his lifestyle, so that needs to be done.
I don't have a dog - just a very small cat - but I've made arrangements. My best friend will take her, though I'm also setting aside a nice chunk of cash, so she'll never have to worry about care.
My dad owns a tropical plant nursery with lots of room to run , play, and swim, so as long as he's around he gets our two dogs in the event we can no longer care for them. He already has two of his own, so it would be a handful, but with his set-up, they wouldn't need too much individualized care outside of feeding and cuddling.
My parents and in-laws both know that our dogs are like our kids, so I think they would do what's necessary to keep them in the family if worst came to worst.
I do have a plan set up for my pets. They aren't bonded at all so they would go to two different places. My girl is 16 years old and needs to be in a very quiet household so she would go to my 81 year old neighbor. My boy is 9 and my other neighbor adores him so he would go to her. And vice versa, if something should happen to her, I would take her two Chi's.
p.s. I would take your gorgeous kids in a heartbeat!!
Yes, we have iron-clad arrangements. We have designated in our joint will who the kids will go to, and we have funds set up in a trust for any care they would ever need. This gives us peace of mind when traveling!
I have friends that have agreed to be the god parents to my pittie mix. Our other two our kids will take.
When I was single, my plan was that my best friend would adopt my chihuahuas if there was ever a time I was unable to care for them. She is my "dog sitter" when I travel. (She and her family fell in love with my chichi's when I needed her to watch for them at the last minute when I needed to travel out-of-state when my mother passed away.)
Now that I am engaged, I have two more dogs to consider. My fiance and I have my two chihuahuas and we also have two pitbulls.
We will def have a trust established for their care. But we don't have a solid plan for the pit bulls yet.
Having a plan is important. Don't leave your family members to make decisions for you. When my mom passed away (that was painful enough) but we had to make decisions about her pets as well. It was not easy at all. It still makes me sad to this day - even knowing we made the right decisions.
There is actually a book that I have- If I Should Die Before My Dog.
It is great- it has you write down who takes the dog, all of the little things they need to know to keep your dog happy and healthy.
This is so tricky. I think a lot of people think family but that is not always the 'best' option. I love my family. LOVE. But I want Melvin and Jake to have parents that will give them the same life I do. So 1. they will go to my best friend and two, I have it covered in my will that she will get money to support them. As for your dogs, I will take them! No, I'm not kidding.
I know a couple who made a trust for their dogs and made a rescue group they work with the executor of that trust and whatever money isn't used by the time the dogs pass, will go to the Rescue. And obviously, the Rescue is in charge of finding the dogs the best possible home and ensuring all their medical, food, etc. is all taken care. The couple has no kids or other close family, so this was the best way they knew to protect their dogs if something were to happen to them.
This is a very good topic, and it's something I do think a lot about. Most likely my sister would take the dogs, and I for sure would take hers. She would probably take the cats, too, though only out of loyalty to me. I do have a life insurance policy and she is the beneficiary of that, so there would be money for their care.
We adopted both our boys from a rescue club. In our signed contract with them , our boys go back to them. They are inseparable so would go together. Of course , i hope that if my parents wanted to adopt they would get first dibs.
This is something I have been thinking about A LOT lately, but yet have not come up with a good solution. I think I could find quite a few people that would take in Tess, but with how much of a handful Edison is, I think we would have difficulty placing him somewhere! And how DO you make it official?
We've dropped the ball on this one and it's something that we really need to figure out and soon!
A great question to put forth! I have to do more thinking and planning than picturing a Viking funeral ship with me and my animal at my side
First, I'd care for your dogs in a heartbeat. I know they would fit right now and well, Sasha and Miss M look a like :)
As to what are plans are for the caring of our dogs. Things were easier when we only had 2 dogs, but now with 5, our plans have changed. We don't have a big family and my side would not care for my dogs AT ALL. My husband's side, though they love our dogs, they would not be able to care for them. We have resorted to planning for them to go to Best Friends. Its not cheap at all, but we have no other options. If something were to happen right now, Sasha needs a lot of care. She is very delicate due to her bone cancer, and Argus has bad arthritis (how he walks and moves as much as he does is beyond everyone) so they both need a lot of medication.
My younger brother still lives with my parents, so they are my "first set of plans". Our local SPCA has paperwork you can take and sign with them that if something were to happen to the people, they will adopt your dogs out on your behalf.
My best friends will take my pups. It's all planned out
Lily
Comments from Facebook: Kelly Ross I think about it but I have no idea what I would do...I travel a lot so I guess I should really make some kind of plans. My husband if not with me would of course keep the dogs but other than him I'm not sure. Thanks for bringing it up as I have some thinking to do!
13 hours ago · Like
Megan Colleen McGlynn My brother and I have a life-long agreement.
13 hours ago · Like · 1
Lynn Aloff My husband and i have an agreement with our dear friends and we have a note in our will. We felt it was the only way to ensure our dog's future.
13 hours ago · Like · 1
Mary Ellen Jobczynski Great subject, much to ponder!
13 hours ago · Like
Antoinette Errante Wrote on your blog:estate planning, even though this is not a perfect solution.
13 hours ago · Like
Jessica Roubitchek First dog - now passed - had too many issues to rehome. We decided on humane euthanasia at our vet's office if the need arose. One of our current dogs would go back to her foster mom. The other would go to a good friend who has agreed to take him. Such an important topic.
13 hours ago · Like · 2
Louise Gately It worries me too. I also have a paint mare I need to think about.
12 hours ago · Like
Taylor Graham Mugsy would probably go with my parents. We have never made it "official" but judging how they call asking "when is Mugsy going to visit" at least once a week and say hi to him first when we do visit, I'm pretty sure he will fit in no problem.
12 hours ago · Like
Natalie Schun Its one of my biggest fears! They are in our will, but recently we've been discussing setting up a trust to help our family members with any expenses they incur. Let us know what you decide to do!
12 hours ago · Like
Stacey Pereira LaChrystal Ricke, look at this! How timely considering our conversation the other day!
9 hours ago · Like
Ashley June We're very lucky to have friends in town that our baby goes to sleep over at whenever we can't take her on a trip. They love and spoil her as much as we do so it wouldn't disrupt her life as much.
8 hours ago · Like
Catherine Smith I have my cat carriers in a very obvious place in my house in case of an emergency. On the top of each carrier is the pet sitters cell number, a map to the closest 24/hr hospital, regular vets number and my parents phone number. Also I have photos of what cat goes in what carrier and their names. Living alone and working in a hospital makes you realize how important this is. ):
4 hours ago · Like
Andrea Brands I have funds dedicated in my will for my pets' care, a person responsible for finding them homes, and insurance info. Very important!
2 hours ago · Like · 1
Esme N Zoey We also have it in our wills, along with funds in a trust for their care and their insurance premiums. Also a big file with their medical records is with our important papers.
I have money set aside for my dogs but I haven't really figured out where they would go yet. And it really worries me because i love them so much and i can't imagine someone being able to love them like i do.
I have been procrastinating on getting a will done because of this. My sister will be taking my dogs/cats should anything happen to me and my husband. But after her I have no idea who I would even trust. Actually no one else in my family. Whoever gets my pets after I/we die, my life insurance policy will go to them to take care of them.
I urge everyone to put it in a will (yes, even myself) to let your wishes be known. I had a friend who told me that I was the only person she trusted with her 2 dogs and that if anything happened to her and her husband she would like me to take them. Even having a houseful myself, I was honored, and would make everything work out to fulfill her wishes. She passed away from cancer just over a year away. I found out her husband gave her dogs back to the breeder because he didn't have time for them. I do not know if that is what she wanted as she never said anything else after what we discussed the first time, and she had no will. I was very sad to hear what happened to her dogs.
My boyfriend and I just had this conversation a couple weeks ago! We live together and have 2 dogs and 2 cats that we share. Because we own property now, the subject or writing a will came up. And it occured to us we would also have to decide who our pets would be left to. After talking about it and talking with the people we thought would make the best guaradians and have the means to, we talked with them. Now we can feel secure knowing that if something were to happen, our "children" would still be cared for.
Hello! Just started reading your blog recently (love it) and found this post. This was a question my husband and I took seriously when making our will. We don't have children (late 20s) and I was afraid of what would happen to our pit if we died soon. Fortunately I'm a veterinary technician and have a lot of good friends in the veterinary field but I didn't want to assume our dog would be taken care of just because of that reason. A good friend of mine with whom I worked for a few years (she has since moved a few states away) is in our will as her guardian if we die. We have left some financial allowance to help with medical and travel expenses in the will.
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