WHO WILL CARE FOR YOUR FRIEND?
Darla and Ginger came to OldDog Haven because their people were getting a divorce.
Duchess and Hunter weren't allowed to move with their families.
Queenie's human friend died suddenly, and she ended up in a shelter before she came to us.
Buster's elderly human could no longer care for him.
and the list goes on ---
What will happen to your dog if you are no longer able to care for him or her?
Don't just presume that your family or friends will assume responsibility for your animal friend. We've seen far too many dogs that have ended up in shelters because no one was willing to take them. If you don't make plans NOW (never mind how old you are or how secure your home situation seems to be) your precious friend could end up being passed around from one home to another, confused and lost, only to end up in a shelter where he or she will die sad and alone.
Here's what we suggest you do:
Think
carefully about the needs of your animal companion and make a
decision now about who will care for him or her.
Talk
to family members and friends about whether they might be ready and
willing to care for your dog in case you're unable to do so.
Be
sure that the person you've chosen is serious about taking on the
responsibility of caring for your friend and is willing to make a
commitment to you.
Talk
to the person you've chosen about your animal's needs, and make sure
that this person knows the name of your veterinarian. It's important
that the dog's health records can be easily located.
Give
the name and phone number of the caretaker to your veterinarian and
to your family if this person is not a family member.
Include
information about the caretaker in your will.
Keep
a notebook of all of the information about the dog's habits, needs,
likes, dislikes, etc. and tell the caretaker where this notebook can
be found in your home.
Keep
a card with you with the name, phone number and address of your
caretaker so he or she can be notified immediately if you are unable
to make contact.
Determine
whether you'll need to provide in your will for the costs of caring
for your friend.
Finally, if you can't find anyone that you're absolutely sure will want and be able to take your dog into his or her home, the kindest option might be for you to consider specifying euthanasia for your dog rather than letting your friend go to a shelter.
Don't
allow your dog to end up in a shelter, especially if your friend is
a canine senior citizen. Plan Ahead!