In the sad event of my husband and I both passing away we need to consider what would happen to our dogs. There is no-one in the extended family who would be able or willing to take them.What arrangements have others made for this eventuality? Our bitch's breeder has always said she'd be willing to have her back - the dog is the son of the bitch -:rolleyes: - but she's actually the other end of the country - rather a distance for anyone to travel.....

It's a very good question :) Although we haven't done anything explicitly about our dogs in our wills, we have given instructions to our children. Neither of our children would be able to look after the dogs as they are both students living away from home. We, too, have no family who could take them. We have a good friend who will make any decisions about the dogs - she would be free to keep them or rehome them as she sees fit :) I trust her implicitly - she knows my dogs well :)

Daisy

Two of my older friends have me in their will to sort out their dogs if anything happens to them as they trust me to sort out who should be rehomed and who is too old or not suitable for rehoming.  Not a position I particularly want but am extremely flattered that they trust me to do this, and I will if the occasion arises though hopefully not for a long time yet.  I would think long and hard about who you could trust for this and make a point of asking the people first before you put them in the will as not everyone would want to do this.

I have never actually thought about it, but i know he wouldn't go short of a home or two. I think my sister would probably have him as she loves him as much as we do. If not when we went to Ireland with my sister, our friend looked after Tyler and lots of his friends said they would have him if we ever decided we didn't want him  ( which would not happen ). He is a little charmer i have to give him that.

We haven't done anything in writing but If we both went now I am sure my family know how I am involved with Lab rescue so the girls would be ok but I know my MIL would also make sure they were ok and maybe even keep them after lots of talks with the FIL as he love them to bits :)

One of my friends in Spanish has named myself and someone else in the breed to look after the dogs and for funds to be arranged for them.  The other person is involved in Old English Rescue, so hopefully between us if the need ever arose we'd be there for each other.

My friend has just been 'updating' her will. She's only 30ish.
She felt the need to do so as she has no family she feels she could trust and lives alone.
She has arranged for one friend to have her house and dogs, with money to look after them, with conditoins the dogs are well cared for.
Another friend to have her chins and I get her meerkats.
As I told her, although I love the meerkats dearly, I hope this never comes about and they live out a very long life with her looking after them.
Personally it's not something I've thought about but I have a very good family who would happily 'share' my animals between them and I am confident that all the animals would have excellent homes.

I think the Dogs Trust now runs a scheme where if you cannot or don't specify a home for your dog in your will, you can specify that your dog will be cared for and rehomed by the trust, who will never put down a healthy dog.

I have just inherited my sisters dog (she died in December), and have consequently had to remove a friend from my will who would (maybe) have had my 2 dogs, but couldn't possibly have three! We hiked out our will today, to generally re-do it, and we're trying to identify new victims .

My sister did have both her dogs registered with the Cinnamon Trust, who are dedicated to providing helpers who will walk dogs if you aren't well enough, and take in dogs belonging to people who have died or are terminally ill, but luckily, I could take her. They did provide her with two fantastic dog walkers, who have walked for her for 5 years. In fact, although I am able to walk mine and our newest addition, one of the dogwalkers has asked me if he can continue to walk Raffi (sisters dog) once a week, as he has become so fond of her over the years. He has also offered to take her if we want a holiday, isn't that nice of him. They do a fabulous job, and as a secondary option I will register mine with Cinnamon - just in case.

Kat

My mum died last Sunday (New Years Day) and she had a small toy poodle which nobody could take because she has severe separation anxiety and can't be left alone.  Anyway fortunately one of my mums carers has rang up and she loves the little dog and had arranged with my mum to have her if anything happened to my mum so looks like she will get a lovely home afterall with someone that loves her. :-)

Sorry to both of you for your loss, in both your situations it does show you that there are some genuinley good people out there.

(((((((Anna)))))))))
Good news about the carer even tho it is in such sad circumstances :(
Hope your ok.
Lea

Thanks Lea :-)

It was quite a shock because she was taken to hospital just as the fireworks were going off at midnight and died less than 4 hours later :-(  I was very upset at first but feel a bit calmer now. 

Anna xx

(((((Anna))))) again. So no time to even prepare :(
lea

I dont know what I would do :(
I dont think my mum and dad would have both of mine as they would end up with my 2 children. Gemma is a funny old bird that is now on £40 meds a months and is funny with strangers so it would have to be someone she knew that she went to. My mate who used to have them when I went on holidays lives 200 miles away and probably not the first person my parents would think of ringing!!
Am pretty sure Gwen would have Beano back or help find him a good home but noo one knows her numbers or email address!!!! but I dont know about Gemma :(
It has prompted me to ask mum!!!! Who has just told me she will sell them to a chinese restaurant!!!!!! LMAO
Lea :)

Ok,
Right If at the time they couldnt cope with 2 dogs and 2 kids then mum and dad would rehome Beano, hopefully finding gwens email address on my computer so she can help.But even if they dont think of that, Beano will be easy to rehome as he is good with children and dogs, I often find my 7 year old wrapped around him and Beanos tail wagging like mad!!!!! they would find him a good home. But they will keep Gemma, which is a great relief as i would never want Gemma going to anyone else as i could never trust anyone with her. Is that bad or what??
Thankyou for making me think about it as i dont think i ever would otherwise.
Lea :)

Lea, rather than leave someone to guess, put your request and relevant contact details in your will, that way nothing can go wrong!
Kat

And everyone should have a will - causes all sorts of problems if you don't :)

Daisy

After this i think i had better get on touch with Gwen and ask her if she will have Beano back if mum or boyfriend cant have him. But Gemma I do believe my mum will have her as she knows how much of an odd bod she is!!!
Only thing is, if anything happened to me I THINK my mum would keep them both as she would take my kids and Sam my youngest would hate to loose Beano as he loves him loads!!!!!!
But I WILL talk to my mum tommorow about it.
It actually scares me what would happen to my dogs more than my kids, as i know my mum would have my kids and fight tooth and nail to keep them as well.
Lea :)
i do have a will where it says where my life insurance and my kids go (life insurance to fight for my kids) But it doesnt say about the dogs, i suppose its because I think of a will as a financial and sibling thing not pets :/

Just tell your Mum what you would like to happen to the dogs - write down any phone numbers etc and give them to her :)

Daisy

My nan has always had toy poodles and my aunt used to breed and train GSDs. Her OH shoots and has gun dogs. Well when nan said she would not get another poodle because of her grand old age and that she did not want to leave this earth before her pup, the family got together and nominated my aunt as possible dog carer. Nan then got a nice adult dog poodle and had 3 lovely years with him, then as she predicted she died. My dog savvy aunt took charge of the orphaned poodle and at the time it sounded like a good and rational idea??
However....
I will never forget that little tearstreaked poodle face looking up at me over my aunties back gate, on the sunny afternoon of my my nans wake. He had that look of sheer disbelief etched into his eyes, as the gundogs and GSD's jumped and barked around him like the mad things they are.

"Oh YESSSS" says Auntie Daph, when you ask her "Oh yes, he loves it!"