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No More Homeless Pets Forum
February 14, 2005 Who Will Care for Our Pets When We're Gone? |
Charlotte Alexander and David Congalton
When a person dies suddenly, or suffers a serious illness or injury, the future care of his/her pets becomes a critical issue. David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander, co-authors of When Your Pet Outlives You, are providing information and suggestions to help you ensure the care and safety of your pets when you are no longer able to care for them.
Introduction from David and Charlotte:
What happens when your pet outlives you? Every day, people around the country die without taking appropriate steps to protect their beloved cats, dogs, birds, horses, and other pets. This often puts these animals at the mercy of complete strangers or apathetic family members.We co-authored the award-winning "When Your Pet Outlives You: Protecting Animal Companions After You Die" (NewSage Press), an easy-to-use, step-by-step guide to how to plan to protect your animals in advance in the case of death or medical emergency. This week, we look forward to answering your questions covering a variety of important topics, including the establishment of pet trusts and the selection of reliable pet caretakers. We also welcome questions on the pros and cons of leaving your pets in the care of animal sanctuaries and veterinary hospitals.
Questions
Preparing a will that provides for our pets
How to choose a facility to care for our pets
Fair donations to shelters for pet care
What recourse do we have if things go wrong?
Is home or shelter care best?
Long term care for rescued animals if something happens to the founder
Once we've chosen caretakers, how do we do the paperwork?
Protect allocated assets from taxation
What about 'difficult' animals?
What if I can't afford an attorney?
Preparing a will that provides for our pets
Question from Sheri:
Perfect timing for this topic... I'm preparing to do my will! My current arrangement is for my father to care for my animals if I die before him. Should he die first, I'm not sure what to do. I've heard of organizations that will try to find a home for your pet, but if they can't, your pets will live the rest of their life in a cage, and I don't want that. What do you recommend? If a time comes when you don't have a family member or spouse to carry out the terms of your estate planning, if you requested an attorney to carry out the terms of your will, are they usually pretty good (or legally bound) about placing your pets where you requested?Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
You are asking some very good and very thought-provoking questions! It's great that you have recognized the importance of including your pets in your estate planning discussion.Let's start with the legal questions first. If you live in a state that recognizes pet trusts, one of the best things you can do is ask your estate-planning attorney to help you include such a trust in your will. Setting up a pet trust allows you to select both a trustee and a caretaker. The caretaker, preferably a family member or close friend who knows your pets almost as well as you do, agrees to provide the loving home in which your pets will live out the rest of their lives. The trustee, who can be a friend or attorney or someone else who agrees to oversee the terms of your trust, assures that your caretaker follows your wishes.
We recommend that you also select a backup caretaker, in case your first choice (in this case, your father) is not available. You might consider asking your local humane society if they have a pet survivor program. Many animal shelters are setting up these kinds of programs to provide loving homes for pets whose owners have passed away, and they could be your "backup" in case your primary caretaker can't fulfill your wishes.
The answers to your questions get more complicated, and unfortunately less certain, if you do not live in a state that recognizes pet trusts. Please consult your estate planning attorney about the specifics in your state, but the most recent edition of our book, When Your Pet Outlives You, lists other options in case you cannot legally set up a pet trust.
You can leave a sum of money to a person or persons you trust, asking that they use the money to provide your pets the same loving care that you provide them. But be sure you discuss your wishes with these potential caretakers in advance, making sure they are willing to do so. At that point, you have to trust that the caretaker(s) will, indeed, follow your wishes. Again, we suggest contacting your local humane society or animal shelter. These organizations, for the most part, have an established track record, as well as expertise, in dealing with animals left in their care. You can talk with them and determine if you feel they are interested, and more importantly, have the capacity to carry out your wishes in relation to your beloved pets.
We can't emphasize enough how important it is that you include your concerns and wishes about your animal companions in any estate planning discussions you have with your attorney or financial advisor. That's the best way to know your options, and therefore make the best choices, about planning for your pets that outlive you.
Comment from Andrea:
I am a contract paralegal in the estate planning field in Washington State. I was pleased to see this topic on the forum. It's so sad when a pet ends up homeless because their owner died and didn't make plans for them. Because I am also in rescue and care about this issue, I've spent some time developing pet trust language for clients. I also have a great pet information form to give to the named caretakers. If anyone in the Washington area would like to contact me for more information or for an attorney referral, my email address is canineconnections@hotmail.com.Comment from Amy:
I think that the links below could be very useful to those participating in this week's forum based on the questions I have seen.www.2ndchance4pets.org
www.petguardian.com
www.estateplanningforpets.org
http://www.professorbeyer.com/Articles/Animals.htm
http://www.hoytbryan.com
Comment from Renita:
Hawaii currently has a bill, HB1453, going through the legislature regarding pet trusts. The bill's description is, "Provides validation for domestic and pet animal trusts extending beyond the death of the transferor." The bill was passed by the House Judiciary committee and will come to a full House vote later this week.Here's the link to the status: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/docs/getstatus2.asp?billno=HB1453
Here's the link to the text:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/hb1453_.htm
How to choose a facility to care for our pets
Question from Dottie:
As a cat guardian to 9 precious felines, I worry about the care my cats will get if I am no longer on this Earth. Although I do have family that have assured me of their care and well being, I have seen promises made in life all too often broken after a person dies.I volunteer for a cat rescue, and we have taken in many cats that are now unwanted by family members of the ill or deceased. We have gone to homes that were sold after a death and the cats have been left behind outdoors to fend for themselves. We have also been witness to cats that have been euthanized after an owner has bequeathed money to a sanctuary or rescue for their lifetime care.
How can one be truly assured that their pets will be taken care of as promised, either by individuals or by an organization? If choosing a sanctuary for the lifetime care of your pet, what should we look for in choosing such a place and how can we be assured that the place we choose to entrust our cats to will indeed use our bequest and care for our cats the way we want them cared for?
Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
Thanks for the great question! You're absolutely right to be concerned about family members and whether or not they will care for your beloved animals. As we document repeatedly in When Your Pet Outlives You, all too often people mistakenly assume that family members will step in and care for the animals. Sadly, that is not always the case, and it is the animal who suffers as a result. The examples you shared sound all too familiar and that's one of the primary reasons we wrote our book.You ask how we can be truly assured that our pets will be cared for by either individuals or an organization. To be honest, nothing is 100% and no plan is foolproof. We applaud those with the energy and compassion to start up animal sanctuaries, but you also need to ask some tough questions from these people before committing your animals. We provide a detailed checklist of questions in When Your Pet Outlives You. Important questions include:
1. How long has the facility been in business?
2. How large is the staff and what is their background?
3. Are the animals eligible for adoption? If so, under what criteria?
4. What is the quality of veterinary care provided?
5. Are the animals left in cages, or does the program allow free roaming?
6. Critically, what will happen to the animals should the facility cease to operate?
In doing our research, we found a number of humane societies across the country setting up programs for their members. For example, the Marin Humane Society in Northern California will allow members to enroll in a special program free of charge. Under this MHS program, members can leave their pets in the care of the humane society and these pets will be eventually placed in new, loving homes.
More and more humane organizations are recognizing the need to offer this kind of service, so we would encourage you to contact your local humane society. We're not trying to play favorites, but overall, humane societies have been around longer and have more of an established track record than animal sanctuaries, many of whom have started up only during the last ten years, or so.
If you are lucky enough to live in one of the states that has enacted a Pet Trust law, you should consider asking your estate planning attorney to include setting up such a trust in your will. Particularly if you are entrusting the care of your pets to an individual, a pet trust allows you to select a trustee who will oversee the funds you set aside to care for your pets, ensuring that the caretaker follows the instructions you leave to be sure your pets receive the kind of care you want for them. If your state does not recognize pet trusts as legal, please consider contacting your legislator to ask why not! (An updated list of states that recognize the legality of pet trusts is included in When Your Pet Outlives You, which was recently reprinted with several changes and updates).
Finally, in terms of individuals caring for your pets, we describe the formula for a perfect pet caretaker in our book as being:
Caretaker = Compatibility + Capability + Compassion.
What it boils down to is this: you need to find a friend or neighbor or colleague or family member who seems to love your animals as much as you do, someone who understands, accepts and shares the love you have for your animals. And don't be afraid to use your own pets as a guide. Who is it that they get excited over? Who is it that they love to see? Just be sure that whomever you ask has the actual capability to step in; your best friend living in an apartment certainly can't take your three dogs.
If you would like to discuss this further, please email David at david@alexandercongalton.com.
Fair donations to shelters for pet care
Question from Beth:
My Grandmother has been looking into a shelter as a place for her kitty when she passes. She really loves the shelter and the fact that the cats are free roaming, not in cages. Also, they are no-kill. My Grandmother is curious as to what she should expect to pay as a fee for her kitty to get lifetime care. She knows the shelter has a fee but she has not asked, yet, what that fee is. How will she know if the fee is outrageous or fair?Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
It's great that your grandmother is considering using the services of a local shelter that she has visited, so that she knows the circumstances and amenities the shelter offers its residents.Humane societies, shelters, veterinary schools and even pet retirement homes are all options when it comes to planning for your pets' care after you're gone. Fees for those services, however, vary widely – the North County Humane Society in Atascadero, California, for example, offers this service as a benefit to members and simply asks for a donation, the amount of which is left to your discretion; one veterinary school, in another example, offers lifetime care for a $25,000 donation.
We've heard of a study that says it costs approximately $600 to maintain one cat for one year, assuming no major health problems. Multiplying that figure by your kitty's remaining life expectancy (let's say that's 10 years) means that a bequest of $6,000 might not be unreasonable for lifetime care of your kitty.
From our research, we have developed an admitted bias toward non-profit humane societies and shelters that have been around for many years, with established track records of loving care for animals. These institutions often have been there, even when they were short on funds, for abandoned animals who had nowhere else to go. So, when you are considering using a pet survivor program offered by one of these non-profit organizations, please consider all the other good work they do.
Leaving money in your will to take care of your pets, and maybe a few more besides who are not as fortunate as your animal family, could be a meaningful legacy to a local humane society and to your grandmother's memory when she is gone.
Comment from a member:
The $600 annual figure quoted only relates to food and basic veterinary care for a year. A sanctuary or shelter has to provide a facility and staff to take care of the animal. I find that answer to be way lower than actual costs. Whatever place the lady chooses will have to heat and cool the place as well as keep it maintained.If she places the cat with friends or relatives who already have a home and they are going to be the caretakers, then that $600 might be appropriate. But it also does not cover anything other than basic vet care. As we know, it is possible to use an entire $600 on a major procedure these days, especially if it involves specialists or expensive tests. The person needs to make it clear to the caretaker that they are not expecting anything other than basic care for that $600. If the cat needs to have anything above and beyond that, the money will not be there for that service.
What recourse do we have if things go wrong?
Question from Diane & Steve:
Suppose that a guardian of multiple pets does everything right in planning for their pets, and then later dies. What is the recourse, if any, if the sanctuary, individual, or rescue group does not follow through with the deceased's wishes? Who checks up on them to be sure the deceased's wishes are being followed? Is there any accountability at all (I'm presently living in a 'backward state' in the matter of animal laws/estate planning)?Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
Your concerns are valid, and underscore the need for states to recognize trusts set up specifically for pets. Let's say you live in a state that recognizes pet trusts. If you have a pet trust that is in force when you die, then you have a trustee that has agreed to enforce the terms of your trust, and is legally bound to do so. That is, the trustee makes sure that the caretaker you have selected follows through with your wishes, and the trustee makes distributions from your trust for the benefit of your pets. If the trustee is unable or unwilling to enforce the terms of your trust, then the court can appoint a successor trustee to see that your wishes are carried out. The state, then, through the courts, helps see that your pets are protected.But what happens if you live in a state (as it appears in your case) that does not recognize pet trusts? First, we would urge you to contact your legislators about the importance, even urgency, of giving you and hundreds of thousands of other pet owners in your state the option to establish pet trusts.
Until then, what can you do? Many courts have generally looked kindly on, and have been known to enforce, the concept of an "honorary pet trust," which is when you designate a bequest to a specific person in your will for the care of specific animals. In many states, this is seen as legally binding on the conscience of that person to follow the terms of your request. Such an honorary trust is exempted from traditional regulations (such as the Rule Against Perpetuities) so it allows the courts a way to focus on protecting the welfare of your pet survivors.
The most important thing you can do to ensure that there will indeed be accountability after you're gone is to include your pets in your estate planning. Be sure to make clear in your will exactly how you want your pets cared for and by whom, and leave a sum of money that is reasonable to ensure that your wishes can be carried out. Be sure to consult attorneys and/or financial advisors who are up-to-date on your state's laws regarding pets and estate planning.
Is home or shelter care best?
Question from Lee:
I notice you've spoken of checking with humane associations about after-care for pets. Wouldn't that mean that my animals, who have lived in a home with special attention all their lives would be thrust into an institutional environment where people have precious little time to take care of their physical needs without worrying about their special likes and their emotional trauma?Even if my friends and family might not treat them "exactly" the way I would (who could?), isn't there a better chance that they will be loved and cared for on a more personal level in a home? I know it should be agreed to well in advance, but don't we have to trust our loved ones more than strangers?
Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss pet survivor programs. While some shelters do offer programs where your pets live out their lives in a "group" setting, most programs we know actually serve as adoption services, where the shelter staff actively seeks out loving homes for your pets, according to your specifications and wishes. Some shelters also use foster homes for animals that are used to a "home" as opposed to a "shelter" environment.For example, the North County Humane Society (NCHS) in Atascadero, California (www.slonchs.org) offers a pet survivor program as a benefit to its members. Once you are enrolled in the program, called "Friend for Life," NCHS asks you to fill out a detailed questionnaire about each of your animal companions, and sends you a request annually to keep their records updated.
The questionnaire states, "Finding the best guardian for your beloved animal companion is important to us. By filling out this form as completely as possible, you will help us find the best home possible should that be necessary. The information you provide will be kept confidential. Should NCHS ever receive your animal companion, the information you provide will be given to authorized personnel to begin immediately to provide the best quality care and to find an appropriate, loving home for your animal companion." In addition to questions about diet, temperament, health and medications, other questions include "Describe the ideal home for your animal companion," "List five things a new guardian should know about your animal companion," and "Describe your animal companion's favorite activities."
NCHS promises to "receive, care for and to the best of our abilities find loving homes for all surviving animal companions enrolled in the program – including cats, dogs, other small mammals, birds, horses and reptiles; if a permanent adoptive home for an animal companion cannot be found, NCHS will itself become a loving home or will find a protective sanctuary for your animal companion."
One final thought. You speak of trusting "loved ones more than strangers" – we suggest visiting your local humane society or animal shelter and getting to know these dedicated, wonderful people so that they are no longer "strangers," but friends. Every shelter we know needs volunteers who help usually overworked and underpaid employees provide love and attention to the animals in their care. Shelters also always need volunteers who can handle other activities equally vital to the survival of these organizations – fundraisers, accountants, or others who can volunteer just a few minutes or hours each week to stuff envelopes or field phone calls. You might even consider becoming a foster home yourself for animals who need temporary or long-term care that the shelter can't provide.
Comment from Mary:
Considering long term care for our beloved pets is a huge undertaking. This week, I have read from several people that friends and families wouldn't care for and love our pet like we do. But, is a large sanctuary the answer? Personally, I would rather my pets be placed in a loving home where they might not get as much doting as I would give them, than to have them live out their lives in a shelter situation. Even in the best shelter, with play time and walk time, they are still left in a shelter over night. A shelter will never be a home.Long term care for rescued animals if something happens to the founder
Question from Patty:
I am planning to start my own animal sanctuary this year. What type of safeguards should I have in place to protect the animals in my care should something happen to me? Do I need to specify in my will that a portion of my life insurance proceeds go to the sanctuary or is there some other type of document that I need to protect these animals?Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
Starting your own sanctuary – wow! What an undertaking! We applaud you for your commitment to animals!In our research, we have uncovered several excellent sanctuaries – among them Best Friends, of course, and the Gabriel Foundation (www.thegabrielfoundation.org) for birds, and Home for Life (www.homeforlife.org) – that can serve as models for your sanctuary depending on the types of animals you want to accept.
We suggest that you do your homework before you open your doors. Consider all the advice we give in our book to individuals about what they should do if their pets – or in your case, the animals who have been placed in your care – outlive you. Make arrangements for trustees and caretakers, and leave enough money in your will to ensure the perpetuation of your sanctuary and its residents.
The best advice we can give you is to consult an attorney and/or financial advisor who specializes in estate planning so that if something happens to you, your sanctuary and the precious animals you have in your care are taken care of.
Once we've chosen caretakers, how do we do the paperwork?
Question from Judy:
My husband and I are currently developing our will and trust. We have commitments from friends and family members to take in each pet. We are trying to decide which document should define the placement and care of our animals (three dogs and four horses). How do we estimate the cost of care for each? Do you have suggestions about what language we should include for care?We are also planning to donate to specific charities and would appreciate language suggestions so that our personal beliefs are supported by the designees.
Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
First let us applaud you and your husband for including your companion animals as you consider your estate planning options. You've taken a huge step already in that you have identified caretakers for your pets.We hope you live in a state that recognizes pet trusts, as this will make your estate planning much easier. But whether you live in a state that recognizes such trusts or not, your next step must be to consult an attorney or financial advisor who specializes in estate planning and who knows the laws in your state. They can help you decide if you can establish a living trust (some attorneys favor including pet trusts as part of a revocable family trust) or a testamentary trust, and will know exactly what kind of language you should use in your will and your trust documents to achieve the results you want after you're gone.
We suggest taking a copy of our book, When Your Pet Outlives You, with you when you visit your attorney and/or financial advisor to discuss your estate plans, as those who are unfamiliar with pet law can use it as a starting point to address your needs. In the chapter "Setting Up a Pet Trust," we include ten basic steps, with step four addressing "How much is too much?" You have to determine an amount for the cost of care for each animal that will be both sufficient and reasonable – enough to protect your animals, but not so excessive as to invite challenge from relatives or a judge if your will ends up in dispute.
So how much? The task is easier if you know the ages of your pets. You can calculate some type of life expectancy for each animal, while factoring in annual costs for grooming, food, veterinary care, and the final cost of burial or cremation. Also remember that as an animal ages more medical care is usually required. And don't forget to consider the expenses of your caretaker – what if the animals require boarding on occasion? Consult your veterinarian as you make these calculations.
Also factor in the desired standard of living you require for your dogs and horses. Be specific in your language about the quality of life you desire for your animals, including food, living arrangements, grooming, exercise, and even special treats.
Let's say that in the end, after all your pets have passed on, some money remains in your trust. That's why naming a remainder beneficiary is important – preferably a charitable organization that can use the funds (perhaps to care for other animals in need?). We suggest you do not name your caretaker(s) as a remainder beneficiary – that creates an uneasy financial incentive and a potential conflict of interest.
Speaking of charitable organizations, you ask about language that would ensure that "our personal beliefs are supported by the designees." You need to do your homework now, that is, you need to identify those charities that fit with your personal beliefs now, before you are gone. It is not incumbent upon charities you designate in your will to "prove" that they are worthy of your bequest. If you want to explore charitable options, we suggest you check out charities that interest you at www.guidestar.org. Once you have identified non-profit organizations that you want to support, including them in your will is easy (just specify the amount – or name the charity or charities as remainder beneficiaries of your trust – and be sure to include an address and phone number for the benefit of your executor). Your estate planning attorney will help with that.
Protect allocated assets from taxation
Question from Paul:
We are a married couple in a "community property" state. We have companion (rescued) animals, and we presume that there will be some who outlive us. We also expect to die with enough assets that we want them to go to the right places. We especially want to support community causes.Can you give specific pointers on how to proceed with a will, trust, whatever (I get lost in the nomenclature) to address these concerns? Think especially about what to specify if we die at the same time (or if one of us survives the other), and how best to protect assets we leave from taxation.
Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
Thanks for your thoughtful questions. Our answers are going to be short, however, because the best advice we can give you is to consult an attorney and/or financial advisor who specializes in estate planning in Wisconsin, especially as it relates to protecting assets from taxation. We are not attorneys or tax specialists. We can just point you in the right direction and get you asking these experts the right questions so that your will (and/or your trust) matches your wishes.At this time, as far as we know, Wisconsin does not have a specific pet trust law, but does have an "honorary trust" statute that permits you to apply trust property to any purpose that is not "capricious." We hope in this day and age that protecting your animal companions after you die would not be judged "capricious" by your court system.
Your attorney and/or financial advisor can explain the differences between a living trust (which can be revocable or irrevocable, but comes into existence before you die) and a testamentary trust (which does not take effect until after you die), and how the establishment of one or the other will be reflected in your will. They can also explain the effects on your animals if both you and your wife die at the same time. Good luck as you take these very important steps to protect your animal companions.
What about 'difficult' animals?
Question from Kathi:
My mother has two cats she obtained from rescue groups. They each do well with one another, however one cat has a behavior problem. He tries to attack people for no reason we can observe. He is wonderful with my mother but we are concerned who could possibly care for these cats if my mother is no longer alive. We have multiple dogs and cats and we cannot care for them both. What options do you suggest for such a feisty kitty?Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
We can certainly appreciate this question since we were involved with the rescue of a "socially-challenged dog" nearly five years ago. Snoop is a great little guy, but he was a biter and impossible to place -- even our veterinarian brought up the option of euthanasia because of liability concerns. Instead, we opted to bring him into our animal family and try to work with him on behavior issues. Snoop's story has a happy ending, but there was a time when we were seriously concerned about what would happen to him if something unfortunate had happened to us. Believe me, no one else wanted this dog.So here you are with a cat who has a similar behavior problem. You have a couple choices. The first is to take action now and address the cat's behavior problem, either by consulting with your vet, a local animal behaviorist or even exploring resources on the Internet to see if you can identify the specific problem and alter the behavior. It can be done and by taking action now, this is one less issue if the cat needs to be placed in a new home down the road. Snoop was eight years old when he came to live with us and it took a couple years, but we have been able to socialize him to be around other people and other animals. He could go live with other people now if he had to.
Your second choice would be to recruit a pet caretaker, perhaps a friend or neighbor of your mother, someone who wants just one animal and would be willing to take the cat in. In our book When Your Pet Outlives You, we've outlined all the key questions to ask when looking for a pet caretaker and issues you have to be concerned about. Finally, you could connect with your local animal shelter. Many keep lists of people looking to adopt or foster specific animals and, again, many just want one pet.
But our strong advice to you, Kathi, would be to try to correct that cat behavior problem now. Doing so, will only increase your options later.
What if I can't afford an attorney?
Question from Connie:
One of the main things that has crossed my mind numerous times is what to do for my pets should I die before them. It scares me to think they would end up at a shelter that euthanizes or in hands of uncaring people. I've been considering doing up my own will and having my pets cared for by a no-kill animal sanctuary, and having my life insurance policy beneficiary be the no-kill animal sanctuary with the condition of taking care of my pets for the remainder of their lives and to help them with the other animals they are caring for. I'm not in the position, yet, to afford an attorney to help me with drawing up a will. What do you suggest?Would typing my own will with specific instructions on it, and having two people sign as witnesses for me and having it notarized be legally accepted? Also, if I were to do my own will, how would you recommend that I protect that will, i.e. fireproof lockbox or rent a safety deposit box at a bank, etc. And should I not have my will given to someone, such as a trustee, who would know what to do with my will upon my death? I have no family and no friends that would care for my pets in the manner that I would want them cared for. They are extremely loved by me and pampered tremendously. I want the best care for them should I pass on before them.
Response from David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander:
These are certainly legitimate questions you pose. Once again, we remind everyone that we are not attorneys so we always hedge about giving legal advice.Still, if you want to protect yourself, but can't afford an attorney, a good place to begin is a great web site http://www.nolo.com. This is one stop legal advice on all sorts of civil issues. Click under "Wills and Estate Planning" and you'll find all the forms you need to legally protect your animals. They have a great FAQ section and Nolo.com is a user-friendly web site. You might also call your County Bar Association because many sponsor free or heavily discounted one-on-one sessions where you can meet with a local attorney for a half hour, or so.
Working with a no-kill animal sanctuary and leaving them as your beneficiary is certainly plausible, but please, do your homework in advance. Find the two or three sanctuaries that interest you the most, visit them on-site and ask if they're willing to accept the life insurance. We'd be surprised if they said no. But you really have to plan ahead and dialogue with the sanctuary so they know explicitly what you expect and what you're prepared to leave them in return. We've discussed, in previous answers, specific questions to ask animal sanctuaries so you might want to review those, as well.
Finally, in terms of the paperwork, you'll need to have someone act as executor of your will. It's probably a good idea to give him or her a copy of everything. That's one less worry for you. Let's face it, dealing with our own mortality is never pleasant, but, as when we stress in When Your Pet Outlives You, planning wisely now protects your beloved animals later. It's worth the effort.
Note from Forum Moderator:
Thank you to the many members who sent in questions for this week's Forum! This week was so popular that we received many more emails than we could post. If we didn't get to your questions, please visit the related links above and review a copy of When Your Pet Outlives You for further guidance.Transcripts from this and all other forum weeks are archived for easy reference and are available to all at http://www.bestfriends.com/nomorehomelesspets/weeklyforum/forumarchives.cfm.
As always, thank you for being part of the No More Homeless Pets Forum, and for all you do for the animals!
