There’s no easy way to address this, but I need to ask: Have you made plans for your pet if something unexpected should happen to you?
No-one likes to think about a worst-case scenario, but we’ve read on social media too many tragic stories of pets who’ve been abandoned because their owner passed away and the owner’s family couldn’t or didn’t want to take care of them. Or the owner simply had no known relatives or friends. In these cases, the animal, often a senior, ends up back in a shelter, confused and scared.
Get ahead of the issue
I always believe it’s good to get ahead of a problem, and making plans could save a whole lot of heartache for your beloved four-legged friend if you’re no longer around to care for them.
Here’s some basic tips to make a bad situation a little easier:
- Ask two animal-friendly friends or family members to be temporary care-givers in the event of an emergency. Provide them with keys to your home and an instruction sheet detailing how to care for your baby or babies!
- Make sure your neighbors know to contact the emergency caregiver if something should happen to you
- Carry a card in your wallet that lists the names and contact details of your emergency caregivers so that your animal isn’t left alone for an extended period of time
- Identify someone you can include in your will as the assigned permanent caregiver. Choose carefully and ensure they are truly willing to honor their promise.
- Include in your will the contact details of a no-kill shelter that can re-home your pet as a back-up should your original plans fall through
If you’d like to know more, here’s a great step-by-step feature on how to make sure your four-legged family member is never abandoned if you are no longer around.
If you have friends or family who may not have made plans, please share this story with them.
Cute photo alert
In the meantime, here’s a gratuitous photo of me with my book, in case you are interested!
Love and purrs, Bunny and Team XO
