If You Died Tomorrow What Would Happen To Your Pets?
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84 commentsMany of us are remiss in putting in place the proper documents and procedure should we die an unexpected and/or sudden death. Some of us are even more remiss in not planning for the eventuality of death at an older age while we still have time to do so. I would venture to say that most of us haven’t made arrangements for our pets should we die tomorrow and statistically speaking, over 6,000 of us will.
I’ve always thought that my siblings will be certain to find a proper home for my animals as they are both pet loving people. But they have busy lives, and what if their only option is the local shelter? We all know that there are as many kill shelters out there as no-kill, and that many shelters are either neglectful of the animals due to time and money constraints, or they put the animals down that seem stressed, anti-social and/or shy.
I’m certain all three of my animals would be extremely stressed if they suddenly found themselves put in a shelter and out of the loving home in which they have always lived. With no prior arrangements you take a risk that your pets may become abused, neglected or homeless. I’ve read many news reports and rescue bios of animals that were simply turned out in the neighborhood by relatives after their owners died. When an unwanted cat or dog is euthanized every eight seconds in this country the odds are truly against your pet.
So what are our options and how do we plan? We’ve all heard about the ‘pet’ that inherits everything. This is truly an option but also elicits the most protest from relatives who think you must have lost your mind. There is also a ‘Pets Trust.’ This is much like a trust you make for children where the Trust is funded with assets and a Trustee is appointed to watch over the pet’s caregiver. Legalzoom.com has a Pet Care Trust Agreement form that can be found on their website. Another option is to include your pet in your ‘Last Will & Testament,’ appointing a caregiver and making a financial gift to that person.
However, if none of these are an option for you there is another solution. According to an article written by Jon Sayers, president of an online estate planning company, you can write a ‘Pets Letter of Wishes’ that can “provide a powerful moral statement telling the Probate Court exactly what you and your pet want.” This will protect your pet without taking the steps involved in making a ‘will.’ In this letter you can state who you would wish to care for your pets upon your death, what monetary funds should be used to help care for your pets, and list all contact information. Of course, it’s very important that you discuss this with the persons named prior to writing the letter. It’s also good to have an alternative person named in case circumstances have changed and your designee is unable to take the responsibility.
But there is more that you can do that many of us wouldn’t necessarily think about. You know your pet better than anybody else and that knowledge needs to survive if you die. Your pets will be experiencing grief and abandonment so what can you do to ease their suffering? I suggest that you write another document to go with the ‘Pets Letter of Wishes.’ In this document you need to include information such as what your pet eats, do you make their food and if so with what ingredients and why, habits, likes, toys, medical conditions, medical records, and vet information. Be certain to add how your pet behaves with other people, pets, and situations. Is your pet afraid of fireworks? This would be good knowledge for someone taking over his or her care.
Through a wonderful FB friend who adopted a Jack from them last year, I discovered an organization entitled ‘Safe Place For Pets.’ Safe Place for Pets is dedicated to working in partnership with terminally ill pet owners to find new homes for their animal companions. What a lovely organization and I’m certain a great relief to those with a terminal diagnosis who want to be certain their pets are well placed and cared for. Their website is: http://www.safeplacepets.org
In all the articles I have read on this subject some very personal things were clearly missing. Carry a card in your wallet with your pets listed and the address where they can be found. This is important in the case of a sudden death or injury such as a car accident. Make a list of their toys, beds, medications, etc, and where in the house they can be found. Write a letter about what your pets have meant to you, how you feel about them, what they have done for you in your life. Write an introduction to your pets, even if the recipient of your loved animals has already met him or her, let them know how precious they are, what they have given you, and give them as much insight as you can into how you treated them and loved them.
In this way you can be certain that you’ve done everything you can to ensure a wonderful future for them. Put the steps in place to be that guardian angel while you still have the ability to do so.
Susan R. Stoltz 
Susan is a proponent of sustainable living and is currently contemplating a massive lifestyle change to incorporate sustainability into daily life. She currently lives in New Mexico with her two Jacks, Sharkey, and Charm and her cat, Kittyhead!
i have
sort of have but not in stone or on paper.
Nice question …….
I have a will, guardianship, and a trust set up for our five dogs in case I die and my husband predecesses me.
my momma has found me a place just incase.. and mez love it there
If I die alone, he would stay with my husband. But if we die together, he would go to my mom & our other boy would go to the in-laws. =/ i hope i die alone so the boys wont be separated it
It’s something that parrot owners have to figure out… we have a 15 yr old Yellow Collar Macaw. If he remains healthy he could live another 30-50 years… *sigh* He will be our daughter’s problem once we’re gone. haha
something to think about.
Yes, we have 9 and they all go to my oldest son
This question just made my heart sink…
Yep .. we made arrangements before we adopted each one! They will be well cared for!
with my husband.
If something ever happened to me, my dog would automatically go back to Collie Rescue of Illinois thankfully.
Yes!
Have a trust set up to take care of them.
Yes.. I have a friend that would step in and keep both my babies
Going to Old English Sheepdog rescue, with which I’ve been in involved since ’97.
Just got a call from someone whose mother died suddenly and her father said the dog has to go or it’s going to the SPCA. She wanted to know if I could take it. ;(
with my family, they love them.
I have it in my will that Suzy Q goes to Denver to live with my brother and there is money stipulated for 10 years of her life.
Not until now, great heads up
Made my whole family cringe recently. I adpoted a older dog from rescue… with the idea I will out live her & not have to worry about this problem. Talk about shocked faces. I’m so glad I did, she is wonderful.
I’m in the process of writing a new will, and the pets are, indeed, mentioned.
My best friend, who loves my guys as though they were his own (and vice-versa), has agreed to take care of them should anything happen to me. I have a $10K life-insurance policy payable to him, to cover the cost of their care, in the event I predecease them.
(My trustee/executor is to make arrangements for them.)
this is really a great concern to consider..we owe it to our dogs/pets
My Gracie goes to my brother in case anything happens to me and I keep all of her records, medically, and lists of diet in a file all together so her diet doesn’t get screwed up while she is dealing with grief and sadness. Because I did all of that already, I don’t have to think about it again. I love my pooch ♥
I think about it all the time!
Yes…my family has had this plan for years…for each of our crews..
katie would take resee rachael would take puppy cleo and sookie
kelly the bird would go to rachael too
as a member of dog trust they will take and rehome my dgs when i die,
Done and did. My animals wellbeing is important.
My family would take them!
All my dogs will be wuith my family, in deed, I have a life insurance…
I got a life insurance policy *just* for this reason…
Yes, they have a Godmommy =)
yes, my husband and i have decided on a care taker who will be provided with the moneys to take care of the dogs, and someone will be regularly visiting this care taker to make sure that he-she holds on to the promise
I would hope their “Auntie Val” would take them! She loves them and they love her!
Well written article/blog – definitely something incredibly important for all us animal (especially DOG) lovers.
My parent would take her. I have people asking if they can have her all the time. But I know my parents would adore her as much as I do!
This is a very important issue to keep in mind. My husband and I have discussed it. Luckily we have a few people who would do this for us. An older friend of ours put us in his will to take his dogs. Of course we accepted this although hoping that we would never have to.
we kept my grandpa’s Chihuahua mix dog after he passed away and she lived for 15 yrs. but last year she passed away due to age and couldnt eat and walk. shes a great dog we had
miss you princess…… she was really huge when we got her after grandpa was feeding her with big mac for lunch and cans of dog food… so she can barely walk and since we kept her she lost alot by walking and going up and down the stair.. she keeps falling down the basement stair and never got hurt from it 3 times. we took her to the vet when she couldnt walk one time and not like herself but after the vet fixed her joint and gave her shots she was so happy to be in our van and on the way home barking happy lol that was a good feeling we noticed 
. she has been getting blind (prob from eating cat food after the cat got done eating ).
*sniff* sorry bout the story i posted
I talk to my sister about this all the time. She has agreed to take my dogs if anything were to happen to me. I have gone as far as writing out a manual. Was actually for when I was in the hospital one time but have added on to it just incase. May seem like a bit much to some but my dogs are my babies and they cant speak for themselves. Just want to make sure that God forbid anything were to happen to me, they would still be able to do the things they do now.
Yes I have and with trusted friends and a trust fund for them. And I STILL worry about what will happen and what if something goes wrong before my friends can get here, etc.
Guess you just do your best.
Ill have my dog buried with me. Alive …
I inherited another three dogs when my mum died; it seemed like an easy thing to promise at the time, a no-brainer. The reality was a lot harder.
Now that is a scary thought, I would pray my little dog would get a great home but it sure is something to thing about.
Great article and overdue!!!
Good post. I actually did a will a few days ago and made it legit. I have had a $10,000 life insurance policy for my three dogs. The will states half goes to their care and the other half to a rescue group. Voicing your wishes is not enough….you have to make it legit.
My lilltle man has a home with my friend Karen and a pup sized inheritance to give him what ever he may need.
Oh and I also stated that they will be cremated and ashes put with mine to be released at a specific location. I dot all my “i”s and cross all my “t”s with all my furbabies who made my life worth living in the first place.
Aww this looks a lot like my Dory!
Good post !!! People need to keep this in mind !!
Yes I have my sons will care for them and I’m leveling money for them to be taken care of
Food for thought…
My 16 year old dog would not live much longer if I were to die tomorrow. We would be like those old couples where one dies after 60 years of marriage and the other follows within the month.
Everything I own goes to my dog (house, rrsp’s, bank account, car) and she goes to my friend…all written out and signed. Anita…I’ve spent more than ten grand in ONE vet episode!!! The whole ten grand should go to your three dogs and once they’re gone any leftover could go to the rescue group. Also, not just death but in case of incapacity…as in Alzheimer’s or serious medical problems where you can’t take care of yourself let alone a dog…provisions should be written out in that case also. Too many well loved old dogs end up at the pound becasue their human had a stroke or heart attack and is placed in a home…and the dog is just pitched since the human is no longer in control of their life. Met one just last week at the local pound. Sweet old thing. And they’re the ones that are hardest to adopt out, too. Devastating for them.
I have, and I worry about this quite often bc she’s got some issues and high anxiety. I just remind myself I can’t have any accidents for the next 12 years or so. (dark, I know)
Oh yes my kids will take care of them. Or I will haunt them.
I have, they are my children and I would want to know they will be safe. I have put them in my will
Hate to think about it,, but is something you have to take care of.
I know who will take her and have provided for her life should that ever happen.
I have! I made sure that if anything happens to me, my dog Penny will be taken by a family member. I have an ordered list of who gets her first and who gets her if they are unable and I have money that goes with her do unsure that she is not a burden to anyone. I love my dog way too much to leave her in the world unprotected!
Of course, my husband has all the information and they are in my Will, with financial provisions and instructions.
I have two lovely doggies and I want they will stay together because they are so close !
Red Spider STS Motto: Do the extreme, push yourself to the limits, plan well, safety first and treat animals with respect.
No but it’s always on my mind about what would happen to them
My sister and I have a pact.
Recently, in our area, a 58 yr old died suddenly, leaving behind two bonded doxies and only her father in a nursing home who’s unable to care for the furry angels. Thank goodness, a wonderful local doxie rescue heard of the story before the AC could destroy these two sweeties! Food for thought……
Earl is going to Aunty Sidney. I don’t know what to do with Benson, probably Hope, where we adopted him.
I have always thought about if we past away before our pets who would take care of them. Its very scary as my whole family already has pets or has no room for pets. Something to seriously give thought too.
my son would keep them
If i die tomorrow they go to my husband and he will love them and care for them till they die. If both of us go, they will go live with my dad on a small farm for the rest of their lives peaceful and happy. Dad has some wonderful property management guy who has always loved our family dogs and he will care for them till they die of old age.
If hubby or kids don’t take care of them with the finances they will inherit should I pass before the dogs I will haunt them for certain!!!!!
my sister will take my cat home with her. the fish would be split up between my 2 sisters and my nephews, nieces, and best friend….who ever wants a Betta!
Yes, it’s in both our wills!
This is an article of great usefulness. I will be utilizing the information and making better provisions for my guys.
My baby has an Aunt Cathy who has agreed to take him should the need arise. It’s also in my will.
yes…handled
In My contract with the breeder, it is in there that he will take her back, if any thing should happen to me. We became good friends. He is also willing to take my other min eskimo dog and take care of him anything happens. I also provided for them in my will. I don’t expect family memembers to take on the added responsiblity of pets. They wouldn’t have the time to care for them like I do.
I am glad to say that they will be Richer than I was
Thanks so much for this article. I’ve seen the info before and it’s always on my “to do list”. Nice reminder.