Have you thought about what would happen to your pets if something happened to you? You're not alone if you said no. Most people, myself included, haven’t. And why would we? Our fur babies generally only live a fraction of our lifespan. (shakes fist at unfairness of this)
But (you knew there was a “but” coming) life is filled with accidents and unexpected circumstances.
I found this out myself a few years ago when my husband and I were driving to the store on a sleepy Saturday morning. We were stopped at a light chatting about the day ahead when we were slammed into by a big delivery truck. Fortunately no one was hurt, just the vehicles. (see AnimalCity Origin Story)
This was the first accident I had been in (and hopefully the last!), and it started me thinking. What would happen to our dog, 4 cats, 3 chickens, rabbit and koi if we didn’t come home? Since we don’t have family in the area, the answer was surprisingly unpleasant. If we didn’t come home, all the animals would go to Animal Control. And they’d only go there once someone realized they were orphaned.
If you, like me love your pets dearly, making a plan for them will give you peace of mind and will ensure their health and safety for their whole lives.
How then, do you make a plan? Glad you asked!
There are a number of things to do that will help protect your pets. Firstly, talk to your family & neighbors to identify an emergency contact. This is someone who can come over and take care of your pets for a few days if an emergency occurs. Next, think about their long term care. Do you have a pet godparent who would love and care for your pet? Talk to this person and make sure they are aware they are being nominated for godparenthood.
Want to go further? Heck yeah you do.
You can create a pet trust or put money aside for their care in your will. AnimalCity can even help you create a detailed Forever Care Plan that will help your family care for and rehome your furry kids in the aftermath of of your passing. It's what we do.
At the end of the day we all want our pets to have a long and happy life. With just a little planning, that happy life can be assured.