My parents did. I don't know all the details, but they're leaving money for the person (me) who takes their dogs. If for some reason, I can't take them, they are to go back to Adopt a Golden (rescue organization) and there is money for that as well. They've made similar arrangements for their cat. I can't take him because DH and one of my boys are terribly allergic. It was all set up through their attorney.

I do SEO/ legal marketing for a lot of estate planning attorneys who create pet trusts for clients. This is very, very common.

You can specify in the trust document how you want the money to be used, i.e. for the pet's care and then to be given as a donation if the pet is sent to a sanctuary.

I think this is a wonderful thing for people to do for their pets.

Aw, I knew I liked you from the start. I love seeing pictures of your birds and hearing them "chatting" in my imagination. Their personalities come through in your photos of them. Yes, people do this and it is a wonderful idea. We are lucky-our son and DIL will just move in here with their dog to take care of our two if we both suddenly drop dead. If not, I would definitely set up a trust for our pups.

Oh, and be careful. My son and husband are cyclists. It is scary out there!

I know exactly how you feel. I have made arrangements with my neighbors to take my little dog should something happen to both of us. I am sure you will be able to get what you want done. I worried about my bird but he passed away in my hands due to his age. Good luck with this.

Thank you! You guys are the best! It is comforting to hear that other people have done the same, especially setting up a backup sanctuary. I am thinking I should have money distributed quarterly, but I am nervous what the fees would be to maintain the trust. I would also have a vet fund. But I dont want to burden my friends with unnecessary work either in accessing the money, which they dont need and would never ask for. It just makes me feel better to leave it. I am going to take their three little birds if something happened to them as well.

Cyn427 Thank you!!!! :). Road biking is so dangerous! It is addicting though!

With the longlife span of your parrots, I think it makes more sense than it does for most pets. Especially as they may be less easier to place.

As for the particulars, the most important thing might be to select a good executor ... not someone ready to care for the birds, but someone who will make good decisions about the funds used for their care.

So glad your cycling outing didn't end up in the ER. My sister wasn't so lucky about a year ago and got hit by an elderly couple who didn't see her. They were at fault. A few broken bones and she ended up needing back surgery and still has pain.

Are there trails you could use instead of roads? Take up spinning classes?

I'm glad you have friends that could take the little guys and they will certainly appreciate that you planned ahead and set up a trust.

Raven - I'm so sorry about your little bird. :(. But I am glad he lived a good life with you.

@mtn - thanks! You are right. My friends are very dedicated loving people. They dont have kids and have three small parrots that they dote on. But I am worried about finding a sanctuary and figuring out how to ensure Zeek is bonded to another parrot if it didnt work out with them. I may have to fly to a couple to check them out to determine how stable they are, for one.

chispa-Your poor sister!!! That is absolutely awful! My gosh! I ride with a group on weekends, and usually try to ride with someone otherwise. Luckily, there are a lot of cyclists here and I think drivers are pretty aware and we have decent bike lanes. However, a woman died saturday after being hit by a car cycling. :( I do mtn bike too, but that is not exactly unsafe! I am so sorry for your sister.

Yes, our 2 cats will go to our eldest son, with his full approval and visitation for our younger son. :) We thought about splitting them up, one for each son but decided that wasn't fair to the cats. It is in our will.

If we ever get a dog it will be the other way around.

Good for you! I worked with an attorney who specialized in animal law and she often talked about how important it was for people to do that.

I have a friend who set up all her estate stuff, and has a special section for the cats. I'm not sure exactly what she provided for financially, but she dictated who will take them (with their approval.) She also dictated in a side note, not officially attached to the trust, who they should NOT go to. She has a friend who would love to take her cats, but my friend doesn't think the husband would treat them well, and they have a big dog. She has made it abundantly clear that "J" should not get the cats!

We have a generic statement in our will that provides financially for any pets that survive us. But we didn't go so far as to name someone in particular. I trust our friends who are pet friendly will see to them.

Very smart of you to think ahead!! I deal all the time with people who are looking for a new home for a loved one's pet after that loved one has died. Very frequently those pets end up in a shelter after several years of being in loving homes. I know someone who has had a tortoise for 30 years, and that little guy is in the owner's will, along with the provisions to care for him - he is being left to the adult children (who are on board with it), because he will surely outlive the owners.

Rockybird, do you carry something like this? You can print your own with that link, and I have also seen professionally created wallet cards and key chains, too.

Pets at Home Card

I was advised to leave my pets to a specific person. I have arrangements with each of them and one is able to write checks on the pet account at the bank. I have parrots, too, and it's very likely a couple of them will outlive me. In order to make sure what ever pets survived me were taken care of I listed them as house pets and outside animals, not as specific animals. That way the barn cats will be included with everything else.

I need to figure out who to have as the guardian of my cats if they outlive us. Unfortunately I don't have any friends or relatives that I would entrust with their care. I'd gladly leave a pot of money to take care of them but just not seeing anyone currently that I think is up to the job. I am leaving a sizeable bequest to a feline shelter but I really need to talk to them about the idea of an acceptable foster home as a contingency for the $.

No. They'll have to fend for themselves...

(Less facetiously, I really should get myself down to considering something.)

A friend received a diagnosis of terminal cancer when she was 50. She had time to get her affairs together, and found two friends to take her dog and cat. Then she left them money in her will for their care.

Thank you everyone! It is really helpful to read your experiences.

Bluebell66-I cant seem to open the link. Is it a card to let people know you have dependent animals at home if you are injured?

I'm sorry, Rocky, that it's not working, but yes, that's exactly what it is. You put your pet info in the card that indicates they are home alone, and then on the other side, there is room for the name and contact info for someone who can go take care of them. There are some good examples if you google it or look it up on Etsy.

I'd never considered it, but I know my kids would take on our pets-they're all pet lovers/owners themselves and when my son had to give up his cat & dog, they went to family.

I think it's very wise of you with those long lived birds to consider this option. My dear friend had a small bird (I don't know birds, it wasn't a canary and it was smaller than a cockatoo) and she came down with terminal cancer. Fortunately a coworker and his wife were bird rescuers and they took in Rio. My friend did leave a small stipend for her bird's care, but the couple insisted it would not be a burden for them.

I have another friend who has a tortoise, she (the tortoise) is currently 19 years old, and will likely outlive my friend. She's got a network of folks willing to take on her unusual pet, but I might ask her if she's got some kind of provision for the tortoise as she's a single woman with no family but a brother.

Here is the here is the card I was trying to find earlier this week. This company also sells a key chain version.

Pets at home card

Thank you Bluebell66! I will definitely get this card - one for my purse and one for the car.

My fur kids are the only kids I have ever had and yes I have provided for them in my will (it's a trust) as if they were human kids. It took me a long time to find the right person to care for them but I was lucky to have finally found her. One of my provisions for her is that she live in the last home I was living with my kids (that home will go to her free and clear). I don't want to disrupt their lives. They have given me so much joy that I want to make certain their lives continue to be the best possible.

rockybird, your kids are amazingly beautiful!

This is a great topic. We have not done this, never really thought about it. Although I know my daughter will take any pets, it would be a good idea to make sure there is money for their care.