We’re waiting for a family.
Leslie Rocco
Shelters are full of pets whose owners couldn’t care for them and didn’t plan for their future. It’s worse when pets are seniors with limited adoption opportunities so these precious souls languish in a shelter or are euthanized for space. Please, don’t let this happen to your beloved pet.
If you own a pet and have no arrangements for their care should you be unable, invest the time to plan for their future. Don’t assume family will take your pet. We often hear that they’re too busy to add a pet to their home. And don’t assume friends will step up as they have issues and plans of their own. Ask people if they’ll consent to adopt your pet and then put it in writing so your P.O.A. or executor knows who to contact. If you can’t find a caregiver as a back-up, it’s imperative that you make a meaningful donation in your will ($2,000 or more depending on the pet’s age and health) to a rescue group who takes them. Rescues are always full and rarely take pets from the public, but a donation will get their attention. Rescues are a better alternative than the shelter and your P.O.A or executor can work to find a willing group. Even if someone agrees to take them, set aside support to care for your pet’s future medical needs. Taking on an older pet is sure to mean many hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for medical costs in addition to the basic food/grooming/boarding costs.
Cats can live 20 years and dogs 15 years. Before getting a pet, ask family or younger friends if they’ll care for your pet if you can’t. You’re healthy now but consider your age in 5 or 10 years. People in their 80s will eventually be limited in the exercise they can provide, yet a most healthy dog needs 30 minutes to one hour of exercise daily. The Pet Rescue Network is regularly faced with the problem of re-homing a senior pet when someone dies or is incapacitated because the owner didn’t think about the future.
It’s devastating to have a pet die, but it’s worse to know they’ll go to a shelter because no one wants them. Love your pet enough to limit that possibility by adopting an age appropriate pet. For example, if you’re mid-70s, adopt a dog over five or a cat over eight. If you’re in your 80s, adopt a dog over eight and a cat over 10. These pets were abandoned once—do what’s best for the pet and adopt a senior and plan for their future.