Do you have a plan in place for your pets?

I wish I did :( I know if something should happen, no one in my family will take the cats. My cat-sitter might, but probably not. All I can ask is they go into loving homes

Well, it's in my will what to do with their ashes which is to be mixed in with mine and scattered in a pet cemetry, but i've thought long and hard over who would have them, and really the people l would want all have cats anyway so there could be so much stress for my cats as well as theirs.

 

I don't want them seperated and no way do l want them in a shelter, the thought of them being stressed  just cuts me up....So!!,  the instructions are that if l go first then my babies are coming with me across the bridge.

 

I know to some it sounds awful to end their lives, but i'd rather they were with me  than a stranger who may not care for them the way l did?. The thought of a stranger getting annoyed with one of them upsets me just to think of it

 

 

I put my pets into my will back in the early 1990's when I worked at a law firm. 

 

A friend and I had agreed to each be our pets' "God Parents" so to speak.  If anything happened to either of us, the other would take in that person's pet(s).  However, I need to revisit this again because I haven't talked to her in about 8 years or so. We drifted apart when she remarried and started to have more kids.

Yep. My parents have a few high needs rescues as well (dogs). We've all made provisions to leave each other a chunk of money for the animals' care and have a standing arrangement that I would take their guys and they would take mine if anything were to happen to both of them or to DH and I

 

Not a pleasant topic, but something we all thought of when my brother found himself working out of province about a year ago and couldn't take his cat.

Yes, it's in our will for my brother and SIL to take on our cats if anything happens to us. We also have money set aside for their care (vet bills, for example). When we revised our will, we put it something like "all cats in our possession at the time of our incapacities" or something like that....I forget the exact working; our attorney wrote it up. That way, however many cats we have, they will all go to my brother and SIL. (If anything happens to them before us, my sister said she'd take the furkids....she will not have them go to a shelter.) Five of our 7 are geriatric with four of them being quite elderly at this point, so hopefully we will outlive them (and I know that this is not a good topic for conversation, but it's important).

When we did the will revision, we had five cats. Then came Mollipop, followed by Tabby. My brother told us that maybe we'd better stop as they've never taken care of more than five cats at one time. We promised to keep things on an even keel for awhile now.

If you do have something in your will and when you have family, friends, whomever, willing to take on the responsibilities of caring for your furkids, I think it's a good idea to set an amount of money aside for their care, especially if you've multiple cats. It helps your caregiver to take good care of your cats. IMO.

Susan, I guess I should add that most of our deceased kitties' ashes are in containers on a shelf in our living room. Because I would like to be cremated when I die and I don't want to even have my ashes buried, I am content just to mix my ashes with the cats' and then scattered in our back yard. Or in a flowerbed. I do not want to be underground. (And yes, I know how silly that sounds.)

If anything were to happen to me, Dana would always care for the kitties. If something ere to happen to both of us, I know different members of my family would step up to help as I have warned numerous times that I would come back and haunt them if they didn't!

This is always a good thread to have every so often. It encourages us think about this important matter. Especially since most of us view our babies as family members.

It is in my will that whatever kitty I have at the time of my death is to be given to my adopted niece, Jacquie. The one that babysat Turtle while I was in the hospital.

I have a special stash of cash which will go along with my kitty for food, toys and vet bills as well. I've discussed the whole thing with Jacquie and she agrees to it.

I know she'll do the right thing because I will be watching!!

My sister Linda's son will take our kitties if something happens to us. Linda was our daughter's godparent; our will states next in line is Linda's daughter, then her two sons in that order. Grim stuff but you gotta deal with it.

I have a close friend who runs a very good shelter. She has agreed to find loving homes for my cats, whatever cats I have at the time of my death. I know they may not be together. This is not yet in my will, but it will be, and my next of kin know of the arrangement.

There will be a legacy for my friend for doing this, though she doesn't know this, and some money will go with each cat. My friend said she was so flattered that I asked this of her. She is 20 years younger than me, so she should be able to do this. And, I have another long time friend and serious animal lover who has pledged to be backup to the other one. And she's 8 years younger than me.


Robin
Edited by bastetservant - 11/17/11 at 2:20pm

My mom would get my cats, Kojak and Isabella, and Lucky would either go to my mom's or back with my sister Kimmy, since he's her cat. As far as my dogs go, I'm not sure how much longer my sweet Macy is going to be around (she's in end stage heart failure), if she were still around and something happened to me, she would go to my mom or my sister. As for the Aussies (Ranger & Mykelti) that will get a little complicated since they're both "working dogs" and do therapy work & also train for competitions. I know my mom would take them in a heart beat, but she wouldn't likely be able to let them continue doing therapy work. So, I would honestly rather see them go to one of my other teammates where I KNOW they will get have a great home and continue the volunteer work we enjoy so much! I know one of my very good handler friends would take them, my mom always would, lady that owns the facility where we train would, and even their breeder would too if need be. I had a major discussion with my family/ friends over a year ago before I had my heart procedure done, so I know everyone will be taken care of if something ever happens to me.

My family knows well enough to keep them together and find a home for them, so I'm not concerned.    Besides, day after day for over thirty years now I've never died, so I'm pretty sure I'm immortal.  

I'm 19, so obviously I'm young and invincible and all that stuff. I know my parents would take my cats in and try to rehome them if I ever died, which of course won't happen anytime soon, because of previously stated invincibility.

I'm having a hard enough time deciding who we would leave our DD to if something happened!

 

Our will currently states that our things be divided between our parents.  But we can't depend on that for forever.  I know they would take our cats for us; but I can't ask them to raise another child.  Thats a harder one for me.  After all; who would raise your baby like you would?

 

My Mom and Step-dad are preparing to update their will.  I know I get all their pets (currently 3 cats and 1 dog).  I'm the only one living nearby permanently; and in a position to take on extra animals.  DH wouldn't be thrilled; but you do what you must for family and those furbabies are family!

I don't have anything in writing, but my family is full of animal lovers.  I would want my cats to go to my sister, and one of my uncles has already asked if he can have my dog if I am ever unable to care for him (for any reason).  I know my pets would go to good homes where they would be loved.

We dont have anything in writing...which will be changing soon. But as of right now if we died tomorrow. We are screwed because the only people we trust to take care of the animals are too young. They are literally the ONLY people who we trust to care for them. In the event that its old age that causes us to bite the dust then M&K and bean will get all animals that we have and will also be the inheriters of everything we have except Dfs tools, those will go to his brother if we dont have a boy. If we have a boy then everything in the garage will go to him. 

Yes!  I have a plan for all of my animals and have made it legal in a will.  Everyone knows my wishes on this topic (friends and family).  It's one of those things that give me peace of mind.

I had a plan if something happened to both my husband and myself, but unfortunate events (the fatal illness of the person designated to take Jamie, and probably Miezi, too) have us wondering about Plan B. My sister or nieces would definitely take them, but they're thousands of miles away.

Thank you for reviving this important topic Karen.
It reminded me that the plans I have had in place, since I adopted Isis, need to be reviewed and possibly updated.