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What is responsible
ownership? Responsible
ownership is considering the future when you purchase or adopt a pet.
That first moment of ownership is sweet and nothing else seems to
matter, but it is so important to have a plan set up for all situations.
Some things to consider when you are creating your future plans
for your new companion are: What
will I do with my pet if I lose my job and cannot afford him/her?
What will I do if my pet requires medical treatment that I cannot
afford? What will I do when
my pet dies or needs to be euthanized?
What will I do if I die before my pet?
These are all important issues that as pet owners we need to
consider. Like our
children, we need to prepare and have a plan for any situation that our
pet may have.
Let’s start with the
first question. What will I
do with my pet if I lose my job and cannot afford him/her?
This is an easy situation to get into.
It can happen at any time and most often it is unexpected.
One thing you can do for your pet is to talk to your family and
friends. Find out if they
would be willing to temporarily take in your pet until you are back on
your feet. Offer to help
with the daily care and to supply money for them as you can until a new
job can be found. If you
are unable to find a friend or relative who can help with your pet, look
into the local shelters and rescues.
Find out which ones are no kill, which ones require a fee to
donate your pet to, find out about their adoption policy, and research
them thoroughly. Talk to
the shelter ahead of time. They
may know of other local options that can help you, such as temporary
foster homes. This is a
good way to know ahead of time where your pet can go if worst comes to
worst. Once you have an
idea of where your pet will go, write out the plan with all the details.
It helps to do this ahead of time so you can be less stressed if
the situation ever comes to pass.
Next, consider what you
will do if your pet requires medical treatment that you cannot afford.
Pets can injure themselves in ways that owners cannot possibly
imagine ahead of time. Horses
can colic, dog can eat things that they shouldn’t, and any pet can
accidentally get hit by a car. You
need to set up a plan of action if something like this occurs.
First consider setting up a savings account for your pet.
Put a small amount of money away for your pet each paycheck if
possible. Start out with a fair initial deposit of around twenty-five
to fifty dollars, more if you possibly can.
Then add to your account each month.
Five dollars a month will go a long way if your pet stays healthy
and you don’t have to use it. Consider
getting a credit card for pet emergencies only.
Most vet offices will accept the major credit cards, but be sure
to check with them to see which cards they accept before getting a card. If this is not something that you can do right away, talk
with your vet. Find out if
they will accept payments. Some
vets are happy to help in an emergency situation by allowing payments,
while others are not. Some
vets require a certain amount of down payment before they will consider
accepting payments. It is best to know your vet’s preference ahead of time.
Also ask your vet if there is a local organization that helps out
in emergency situations. Find out if your vet knows of companies that will do loans
for emergency pet care. You should also consider talking to your family
and friends to see if they would be willing to help out in an emergency.
What if the time comes and you still cannot afford to help your
pet? Then you have to
consider euthanasia. It is
a hard choice to make and it is one that most people don’t like to
consider. The thing to
remember is that you need to do what is best for your pet.
If you cannot afford the treatment needed, then it is better to
euthanize your pet than to let them suffer needlessly.
What happens if your pet
dies or needs to be euthanized? All
pets reach this point. It
is our job as their speaking family member to do what is right for them. You need to set up a plan for your pet ahead of time.
Talk to your vet about the cost of euthanasia.
Find out what your local laws are for burial of your pet.
In some places, it is okay to bury your small (and sometimes your
large) pet on your property. In
some places it is illegal to do so.
If you live in a place where burial is illegal, talk to your vet
and find out what your local options are.
Some places have crematoriums where you can take your pet for a
fee and have their ashes returned to you, and sometimes your vet can
even make the arrangements for you with a signed form.
If these are not options available to you, your vet can tell you
what the typical arrangements are in your town.
With large pets, such as horses, things can be much more
difficult. Burying a horse
on your property can be expensive if you don’t own your own equipment.
You may need to hire a backhoe, if you are comfortable using one,
or hire a professional to come out.
Be sure to find out where all your water, electrical, and gas
lines are ahead of time, call your utility companies and most will come
out and mark the lines for you. If you are not sure whom to contact for assistance with
burying your pet, contact your local funeral home.
Many times the persons who dig the graves for the cemeteries are
willing to dig graves for your large pets.
Be sure to have your horse euthanized close to your planned
burial site. If you are not
allowed to bury your horse on your property, you need to find out what
the cost is for your local rendering plant to do a pick up.
Find out how long it will take before pick up and choose your
euthanasia spot carefully so that there is easy access for the truck.
Also consider taking your horse directly to the vet’s office
for euthanasia. Most vets
have an arrangement for pick up with the rendering plant.
Now you need to consider
what will happen to your pet if you die first.
Making a will that includes your pet is the best thing that you
can do for them. The best
solution for your pet is to find a family member or friend who would be
willing to take in your pet. If
this is not an option for your pet, make arrangements with a shelter or
rescue for your pet if something should happen to you.
Remember to choose your shelter or rescue carefully based on your
pet and his/her needs. Consider
leaving money specifically for the care of your pet, if possible. The money should be enough to feed your pet, cover most
medical bills, and a minimum of enough money to cover euthanzia for your
pet when the time comes in the future.
If you have any special requests for your pet (i.e. burial in a
certain spot) make sure that those requests are in writing.
These situations are not
easy to think about, especially if you and your pet are young.
Just keep in mind that accidents can happen and the only way to
be sure you can handle them is to be prepared ahead of time.
Your pet deserves the time it takes to make sure that they are
always well cared for and that their future is planned out.
Written
by Brandi M. Qualset, 2007
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