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Hoyt & Bryan, LLC, Central Florida Animal Pantry and Best Friends Animal Society are working together to collect pet food for families in need during the Four Legged Food Drive! From July 4 through August 1, help make a difference in the lives of Central Florida residents and their pets by making a donation of sealed and unexpired pet food at our office or at any of the other donation sites listed on the website.
Together we can create a world with No More Homeless Pets!
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| How to Leave a Legacy For Your Pet |
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Animal companions… your pets… "your children." Whatever you call them, they are dearly loved family members. Our pets come to us from rescue shelters, from pet stores, from breeders, and from friends and family. Our pets come in all shapes and sizes — from horses to hamsters, from ferrets to felines — they inhabit our hearts with their own unique personalities. They share day-to-day struggles, adventures, special moments and play times with us. We share our homes, our beds and our hearts with our pets. We worry about our pets, too, just like our children, when they are not with us. They leave us with a legacy of happy memories after they’re gone. Our pets love us unconditionally, help reduce stress and even enhance longevity. For all these reasons and so many more, you should explore all the alternatives for planning for your pet’s future without you and for your future without your pet. This book is for anyone who has ever loved a pet and wondered what he or she would do if their pet were no longer with them or what their pet would do if they were no longer there.
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Planning for Your Pet’s Future – What to do if something happens to you.
Although we would like to believe we will always be around to care for our pets, far too often the pet owner is required to move from their home to an alternate or permanent care facility, becomes incapacitated, or dies without addressing the ongoing care of their pets. There are numerous sad stories of pets that were overlooked when their owners became ill, had to be hospitalized, went to a nursing home or passed away. Tragically animals have run away or have been forgotten in the home of their owner. To prevent these unnecessary and tragic occurrences it is imperative to develop a written action plan for your pet in the event of an unexpected event or disaster.
Identify at least two people, “pet caregivers”, who will agree to be responsible for your pet if something happens to you, including incapacity, death or natural disaster. These trusted individuals should have access to your home, care and feeding instructions for your pet, the name and contact information for your veterinarian and written instructions for the long-term or permanent care of your pet including final plans for your pet in the event your pet should die. The individuals you choose can either be short-term, long-term or permanent caregivers depending on the plan you intend to implement for your pet.
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Formulate your written action plan to include the following provisions:
Name, age and medical history of each pet. If you maintain a medical history file for your pet, provide instructions where these documents are stored and can be located. Keep this information in a safe but accessible place in your home.
Name, address, phone and other contact information for your veterinarian in the event of an emergency.
Name, address, phone and other contact information for key family members or friends that can be contacted in the event your pet caregiver is unable or unwilling to provide care services for your pet.
Identify the location of your important estate planning and financial documents including powers of attorney, Living Trusts, Wills and health care directives, outlining the instructions to not only take care of you, but also detailed instructions on the care of your pets.
Identify the person or facility that will provide long-term or perpetual care for your pet if you, your family or your selected caregiver is unable or unwilling to provide this care.
Include provisions in your estate plan including Wills, Living Trusts, powers of attorney, advanced health care directives and other planning documents to detail your wishes with regard to the care and disposition of your pets in the event of your disability or death.
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Estate Planning Options:
There are a variety of estate planning options for you and your pets. Studies have revealed that somewhere between 12 and 25 percent of pet owners include their pets in their wills. It is important to plan not only for the long term care of your pet but also for the short term care of your pet in the event of your incapacity, hospitalization or during the time between death and the implementation of your Will or your trust.
The document component of a comprehensive estate plan should include at a minimum the following:
1. Durable Powers of Attorney for financial matters.
2. Durable Power of Attorney for health matters, sometimes referred to as advanced health care directives or Health Care Powers of Attorney.
3. Last Will and Testament (your “Will”).
4. Trusts (either Living Trusts created during lifetime, testamentary trusts created by a Will at the time of death, irrevocable trusts such as insurance or wealth replacement trusts and charitable trusts).
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| The Pet Advocate Newsletter |
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www.LegacyForYourPet.com
www.PetGuardian.com
www.2ndChance4Pets.org
www.EstatePlanningForPets.com
www.AngelsHaveWhiskers.org
www.WhiskersAndPaws.org
www.Petentials.com
www.OrlandoUnleashed.com
www.2ndChance4Pets.org
www.1-800-save-a-pet.com
www.HSUS.org
www.PetFinder.com
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