Who gets your pets if something happens to you?

 If something was to happen to me I know for sure that my mother in law would take Kujo in a heartbeat.She'd take her now if given the chance.  My husband would more than likely keep Cheyanne since she is an easy keeper and is a good behaved dog.  My 2 worries would be Lillie and Jayde. I have no idea who would take them. None of the dogs would have to be placed together so that's not the problem. I'd like to think that my brother in law and his wife would take Jayde since they have her sister and Jayde is a much better behaved dog than her sister is. If not I dont know who would take her. Lillie is the one I worry about all the time. My husband would just let her loose to do whatever she wanted but around here you cant do that. He would feed them and water them but I highly doubt he'd take them to the vet or anything like that.

I dont know anyone around here that would take Lillie. She's so high energy and requires grooming. Guess Im going to have to look into that.

If something was to happen to both of us I dont know who would take Cheyanne, Lillie, or Jayde. I dont want any of my dogs to go to a shelter so think tomorrow I'm gonna get busy looking for homes for them in case of something happening.
 

My best friend and I have an agreement (long-standing and we are closer than family) that the survivor would take care of the other's animals. 

As a legal secretary I gotta chime in here.

This is NOT NOT NOT something to put in your will.  Specifically because a will is a very long-lasting document.  So saying Billy goes to Raine is dumb because the document may well outlive the dog.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO you do a general instruction (check with an attorney in your state about the wording) just on a piece of paper - this is called a "codicil" -- and you simply attach it TO your will.  It's for temporary things like:

Should something happen to my spouse and I in a common accident, please contact _________________________ (give phone number AND address), who has agreed to care for my surviving animals. 

THEN if you want to be really on top of it, what you SHOULD do is put an amount of money in the will simply to go for the caretaking of any surviving pets.  You don't leave money TO a pet, but simply leaving it for their care to be administrated by your Executor/Executrix or Personal Representative or whatever it's called in your state -- this enables the person who administrates your will to have a) money to get the animals TO the person who has agreed to care for them, and b) it gives that person something to keep at interest for vet bills, etc.

Discuss this with your attorney or estate planning person -- it can be something simple and informal, or it can be something more that is in a simple trust or whatever works for you. 

but honestly -- this type of relationship .. particularly if you are like me with no human relatives who would give a crud for any of my animals ... can make care a reality.

Bottom line -- none of us know the day, year or decade when something might happen.  Your friend who agrees to do this may be in temporary financial straits or something so having even a small amount of money set aside to get your pets TO their caretaker can mean the difference between something actually being DONE and not done.

Just don't mention pet names IN a will.  Something generic like "my surviving pets" will suffice.

 Great advice Callie.  One question though... if you just put Surviving Pets... what if you have more than one home taking your pets?  Like some others here have mentioned, one person takeing this one, another taking that one...

Am I the only one doing the Egyptian thing?

Kidding, kidding...just a bit of humor!

Beagles go to breeders/co owners. Buckwheat goes to DH or Mom depending on who's still here!

My best friend since 4th. grade would take Max in a heartbeat.  She lives up in Crescent City and rescues stray mutts found wandering on Hwy. #101.  Most of her dogs are by necessity outside dogs, but her husband has built a nice large shelter for them and they're crated inside at night. She knows Max is an inside dog and would let him live inside.  His quality of food would go down a couple of notches and he probably wouldn't get as many walks as he'd like, but he be well loved and cared for, which IMO, is more important than what it says on the front of his kibble bag.

Joyce

If something happened to me, DH would have to figure out if he could handle Wesley by himself.  If so, he would keep him, if not, or if DH and I both pass, Wesley would go to his trainer - the only one I would trust to handle his issues and probably the only one who would want him! 

We have discussed this with him and also with the executor of our estate - we actually have a fairly complicated set up where there is a trust set aside for Wesley's care, that the trainer would draw upon for every cost relating to keeping Wesley during his life (this is for everything from food - the type we feed, to vet care to his share of any activity that the trainer participates in with all of his dogs) and then there is a separate trust set aside for the trainer (sort of a thank you for taking Wes) that he would get at the end of Wesley's life once it is determined by the executor of the estate that Wesley was well cared for throughout his life.  Both the trainer and the executor know what we want for Wesley and Wesley would be just as happy and well cared for (if not more so) there as he is at home, which is nice for us - one less thing to worry about in the world... 

I think this is a really really important thing to have thought about and have a plan for - you hope you never need it, but just in case, it can save your pet's life...

 If something were to happen to me, I would hope my friend Jen would take on my beasties.  Now that they are both fixed its feasable.  She's a musher and has 4, soon to be 5 maybe 6 other huskies so 2 more isn't a big deal to her I think.  She definately wouldn't let Crusher go anywhere else.  She has his brother Eclipse. 

I do wish I could return the favour for her.  But taking on 6 dogs to my 2, is a bit different.  At least right now.  When and if I get some land, I plan on building my team anyway, so someday I would likely be able to.

I really should talk to her about it again. 

Maggie would stay w/ the fiance (DH as of May), my parents if Scott was gone as well.  Dunno about Z - probably would go to a friend of mine since she's to much for either Scott or my parents.  I need to talk to Sarah about it actually since Z is just about to be officially adopted by me.

So those of you with no plans in place, does this convo spark you into action at all?!  if you have animals you can't place, have you considered looking into rescues that might and then contacting the organization?  Some orgs have programs for pets whose owners die.

If something happened to us, Charlie would go to DH's Uncle and Aunt.  No one in my family is a pet person or they travel/work too much and his Aunt would care for Charlie like he was her baby...just like we do

schleide

If something happened to me, DH would have to figure out if he could handle Wesley by himself.  If so, he would keep him, if not, or if DH and I both pass, Wesley would go to his trainer - the only one I would trust to handle his issues and probably the only one who would want him! 

We have discussed this with him and also with the executor of our estate - we actually have a fairly complicated set up where there is a trust set aside for Wesley's care, that the trainer would draw upon for every cost relating to keeping Wesley during his life (this is for everything from food - the type we feed, to vet care to his share of any activity that the trainer participates in with all of his dogs) and then there is a separate trust set aside for the trainer (sort of a thank you for taking Wes) that he would get at the end of Wesley's life once it is determined by the executor of the estate that Wesley was well cared for throughout his life.  Both the trainer and the executor know what we want for Wesley and Wesley would be just as happy and well cared for (if not more so) there as he is at home, which is nice for us - one less thing to worry about in the world... 

I think this is a really really important thing to have thought about and have a plan for - you hope you never need it, but just in case, it can save your pet's life...

I remember Wesley's story, and it made me glad to read this.  Just wanted you to know.  

spiritdogs

I remember Wesley's story, and it made me glad to read this.  Just wanted you to know.  

Thanks!!  You were very supportive of us when it was not such smoothe sailing - we appreciate it!

Never thought about it, but I guess my kids!  They're the only ones I know of.  But, hopefully, I'll outlive my pets, since I don't have a parrot or anything, I have a good shot!

Wow. That is a scary thought. I can't think of a single person that would take my dog. Not a single solitary one.

 My parents are quite old and already have a dog...they won't even take her for a week, let alone the rest of her life. We don't get along and they have suggested numerous times that I "take her back" because of her issues. I don't have any other living relatives besides some in the UK and some in the Midwest whom I *never* see.My boyfriend already has a good-sized dog, and I wouldn't burden him with another, especially a dog-aggressive one. I don't think, being a grad student who travels and is out in the field a lot, he could manage all that. Although, we haven't been together that long and I have never mentioned it...he really likes Ginny, but I think the answer would be sorrowful, but definite, no.

I don't have many friends, certainly none close enough to take her, or any who would want to. Being in vet school means almost everyone you know already *have* boatloads of animals.

Plus...who'd want a super-hyper dog with fear aggression ?  She would probably just go back to the rescue I got her from, who might not even take her since the dog-aggression started AFTER she was adopted and removed from her "rescue pack" where she was the dominant one - they had no idea when they adopted her to me. That's a sad thought. And why I (try to) take good care of myself.

My folks would take my cat, however. I don't know who would take all my reptile babies......

If something happened to me then DH would keep them without hesitation, he loves them as much as I do.  But if something happened to both of us.....I have no idea.  My one friend who would have taken them has moved away and now has 7 dogs of her own, I don't think she could take on 5 more.  Our families either aren't dog people, would give proper care to a dog, or don't want the responsiblity of a dog (or an additional dog).  So unfortunately I guess my furbabies would end up in a shelter and very likely some would be put down    I don't like that idea but I don't know what to do....no one I know would want/take them.