sharrlan - i meant to end my post with how sorry I am about your loss and that you are to be commended for doing the right thing by your brother's dogs. My computer shut me down before I could finish the post, so I apologize if my post seemed judgmental towards you, it was not. Just a general observation from what I see through various rescue groups and the dogs they rescue from the pound.
MY DH and I are leaving tomorrow for North Carolina for the Coca Cola 600. Our 2 babies are at the local SPCA boarding. My dearest friend is the manager and she knows that if anything happens to us that she is to euthanize them as I dont want them going to a different home where they woont be spoiled like they are with us. I could never rest in Heaven knowing they were not cared for with us gone.
I am so sorry for the lose of your brother and thank you for caring enough for him to want to help his dogs. God Bless you.
Margie
Pet Trusts vary by state, and not all states allow them.
Although WA allows for Pet Trusts, it seemed most logical to us that if we are entrusting our dogs to certain family members or friends, we would entrust the cash to maintain our dogs to those same people. Yes, they could take the money and run, but if we don't trust them, we shouldn't be leaving our dogs to them.
So our will says "I leave Fido and Fluffy to my parents, if living; otherwise, my sister if living and capable of caring for them; otherwise, my friend Suzie, if living and capable of caring for them; otherwise my friend Jennie. I also leave a boatload of money to the new owners for their care and maintenance, including veterinary care, food, etc, so that they will be maintained at the level at which they lived all their lives. I further leave my 3-row SUV so that their new owner will have no difficulty incorporating them into their new life and transporting them. Any outstanding loans on the SUV will be paid for, in full, by my estate."
The verbage is more technical. But the key is that we're not leaving cash or property to the dogs. We're leaving it to the human beneficiaries.
Dh's will says the exact same thing, in the event that we should die together, say in an auto accident. In other words, I don't want my dogs to be a burden to those people to whom we have entrusted them. We want them welcomed with open arms, and we want them to never be a financial burden on their new owners, who each have their own dogs. Dh is now thinking that we should leave the MH to the dog owners as well, because we kind of bought the MH for our dogs -- in our own weird way.
Would my dogs miss me/us? Oh gosh, most profoundly. One of my dogs has been with me 15 years, and the other is my service dog. But they're wonderful resilient dogs. They will be loved, and they will love. I would never take steps to end their lives just because my life was cut short. I truly believe it is my sacred duty to them to do everything necessary for them to continue to live their rich, full lives. They have each other. They have our human family and friends that love them. They will grieve me/us. But they are capable of living without us. That is the ultimate gift they can give me. To live well.
Dh, our 2 year old German Shepherd, 15 yr old Beagle/Spaniel and me.
Exploring every National Park (and Monument) in USA, Canada, Mexico & beyond.
3 well-used backpacking tents.
2008 Itasca Impulse, 24'
sharrlan wrote: Please make sure that arrangements are made for your beloved pets if something should happen to you.
So sorry for your loss.
You give good advice -- and recently, before I had surgery, I sat down and drafted up my wishes for my pet. That was the one detail that has worried me for years. But I have given instructions and now can rest easy that she will not suffer or be given to an inappropriate place.
Many folks will benefit from your message.
Thank you. And please take care.
Livin Lite Quicksilver 8.0 (Folding Tent Camper) only 900 lbs!
I truly wish that someone in our family could keep and care for them, but it's just not possible. My 85 yo mother wants them badly, but there is no way she could properly care for 2 young male dogs that require a lot of exercise.
sharrlan wrote: Please make sure that arrangements are made for your beloved pets if something should happen to you.
So sorry for your loss.
You give good advice -- and recently, before I had surgery, I sat down and drafted up my wishes for my pet. That was the one detail that has worried me for years. But I have given instructions and now can rest easy that she will not suffer or be given to an inappropriate place.
Many folks will benefit from your message.
Thank you. And please take care.
The day after my brother had surgery and realized that he was not going to get better, his only concern was for his dogs. The only time I ever saw my brother cry was when the oldest one was hit by a car and killed and he couldn't find the younger one.
My sister and I have made arrangements to care for each other's dogs in the event that something happens to either of us. (Only problem is that she has 7 of them..... ) but still, I love hers like my own, and visa versa so I would love to have them. We also "babysit" for each other's pets when we travel places where the mutts can't go. The benefit to this arrangement is that the 10 dogs already spend time together at both homes and are comfortable at both places.
It will give most people peace of mind to make these arrangements and know that their beloved fur kids will have a place to go.
My secondary arrangement is for my kids to have them, although in that case they would have to be split up. But still, I know where they'll all go!
Julie
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A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~ Lao Tzu
sharrlan wrote: Please make sure that arrangements are made for your beloved pets if something should happen to you.
So sorry for your loss.
You give good advice -- and recently, before I had surgery, I sat down and drafted up my wishes for my pet. That was the one detail that has worried me for years. But I have given instructions and now can rest easy that she will not suffer or be given to an inappropriate place.
Many folks will benefit from your message.
Thank you. And please take care.
The day after my brother had surgery and realized that he was not going to get better, his only concern was for his dogs. The only time I ever saw my brother cry was when the oldest one was hit by a car and killed and he couldn't find the younger one.
Well, your brother's fur kids are lucky to have an aunt like you. Please keep us updated. A solution will present itself -- someone out there needs puppy love.
sharrlan wrote: I truly wish that someone in our family could keep and care for them, but it's just not possible. My 85 yo mother wants them badly, but there is no way she could properly care for 2 young male dogs that require a lot of exercise.
I have passed on the rescue #'s to his gf.
Sharrlan, I'm truly sorry about your loss. But please know that breed-specific rescues are folks who are devoted to a breed of dog, who know the breed really well, and will do what's best for the dogs. Vizslas are high energy intelligent dogs that need a lot of interaction, stimulation and exercise. While it might seem wonderful for a family member to take in your brother's dogs, in fact, what might be best for these wonderful regal animals is for them to go to an experienced Vizsla owner who knows how to give them everything they need. They certainly aren't couch potatoes or dogs that can be put in the back yard and made into simple family pets.
So, it seems to me that you're doing exactly what you should be doing for them. And that, it seems, is exactly what your brother, as a devoted dog owner, would want you to do.
If my family, who are experienced German Shepherd owners, could not keep my dogs, I would be pleased if they could place them with a GSD rescue that would carefully screen for a home that would know how to provide a stimulating, active home for my German Shepherd. There are some dogs that can simply go to any loving home. Some breeds can't. In my estimation, you're doing exactly the right thing. I know I'm just a stranger, but I'm a hard core "dog person" stranger who is devoted to challenging, active, intelligent breeds of dogs. I think you're doing the right thing -- for the dogs -- even if it doesn't feel exactly right, right now.
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