Many people tell us that they don't need a pet life care agreement because their family members will take in their pets if something happens to them, yet every day pets are taken to shelters by family members.
Approximately 20% of dogs and 28% of cats, or 1.7 million pets are taken to shelters by family members every day (ASPCA).
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These stories below are real life situations. If you want to ensure your pets will have a good home you must do more than assume family members will take them. Please have a significant conversation and ask them to make it "official" with a pet life care agreement (available on our templates page).
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Kaylee's Story
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This is Kaylee's Story as told by Kay M. McDonald, Owner of Charity Charms:
Kaylee was my best friend's dog. She had purchased her online as a “teacup” Maltipoo for $1,500. When she was shipped and arrived in Phoenix dear Kaylee already weighed 5 lbs so we quickly figured out that she was not going to fit in a teacup! Of course we all fell in love with her anyway.
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Tragically, one day my friend took her life. Kaylee managed to burrow under the fence to the neighbors house and they figured out something was wrong. When I arrived at the scene with her family (a sister in law and a cousin) …no one would take Kaylee.
So I did, with the promise to my husband of finding her a good home. Well she did, and it’s ours. She is so precious and grew on us…we just couldn’t give her up.
Sadly, my friend had left a weeks worth of food and water so I know she thought of her, but I am sure she assumed her sister in law would take Kaylee to be with her nieces. I was frankly shocked when she said an adament “‘NO”…I have not time to take care of her. The other family members had a new baby and just did not feel it was a fit.
This is an all too common occurrence, and sweet loving dogs are left homeless because people assume a family member will take them. Please be sure to have this conversation with your family and have them sign an written agreement to know for sure they will adopt them.
Kaylee (left), Kay and Brother Rufus
Tux's Story
Tux's Mom was a woman who rescued show dogs, especially poodles. She had worked with Perpetual Care to help her rescue and rehome her rescue dogs. One day in 2011, she called me and had sad news. She had been diagnosed with cancer and knew she had only months to live. She wanted Tux to come to Perpetual Care. He was her most recent rescue and she had not had time to find him a home.(His teeth were in bad shape and had to be pulled when we brought him to Perpetual Care back in 2011, which is why his tongue hangs out).
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We took in Tux and a few months later I attended her funeral. When I met her family, they were overjoyed to hear how Tux was doing and they were grateful that he had a home with Perpetual Care. Tux is a resident of Perpetual Care to this day. He still acts like a happy puppy, although he has no teeth. He is a joy to us at Perpetual Care and everyone who meets him falls in love with him.
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