Do you have any arrangements in place in case something happens leaving you unable to care for your dogs? My mum recently asked me to make such an arrangement with her so that she could be sure that her dogs were looked after if she became ill. I have promised that I would take two of her dogs, my brother would take the other two. It has made me think that perhaps more of us should think about this.
When we got Jakey out of the RSPCA we had to sign that if anything happened to us he would go back to the RSPCA. We had to sign similar forms for the boxers but they were more if we had to give them up rather than where we both died. We have the RSPCA forms here, but we have never got round to filling them in. I know we should really as there is no one else that we can leave the dogs to if anything happens to us.
My sister will tend to my babies if something happens to me. Otherwise, I've made it clear that any money I have will go to their care.
I think it is especially important to make it clear what you want to happen if there is no one in the family who could care for your dogs.
I tend not to think about what if scenarios like that. I have enough on my plate to worry about right now, ya know? I guess I should probably figure something out, for both the animals & the kids.
I don't like thinking about it, like I said, but if we don't think about it long enough to make sure they are cared for, we aren't being responsible. That's teh only reason I did it -- to ensure someone knows how much I love them and want them to be safe when I'm gone.
Having made this arrangement with my mum it influences my choices a bit. When making decisions about my own pets I keep in mind the possibility that at some point in the future we could inherit two extra (small) dogs.
It has always been in our mind to have back up in case we're gone (although I hope that won't happen to the three of us). We signed papers at the rescue center that Boston will be back to their care in any case we're gone. I wish I could give him to my brother though but I'm not so sure if the center would agree on that.
I don't think I would take a dog if the re-homing centre insisted that the dog must be returned to them in the event of me being unable to care for it. I have better arrangements in place for my pets.