Where will Fido Go When You’re Gone?

By Linda Spurlin

In the past year I have received several phone calls from caseworkers with clients either in hospitals or nursing homes, or who had just passed away. They called because they don’t know what to do with their elderly client’s pets. Old cats, young cats, aging pooches, all left alone in the world when their elderly masters or mistresses were suddenly taken out of their furry little pictures. Where’s an old pet supposed to go when it’s owner dies?

No one wants to think of his or her own mortality. While we’d all prefer it be later then sooner, its still an inevitable fact of life. Unfortunately, while the grandkids or Uncle Sam may be the ones inheriting your home when you’re gone, its not likely they are going to take Fido or Fluffy along with it.

The Humane Society recommends planning for your pets in your will. You should also consider discussing with your spouse or loved ones what you would like to see happen to your animals should you pass away. Don’t just assume they will want to keep them, either! Many spouses only put up with their loved one’s pets for just that reason- love of their spouse.

Ask relatives, friends, caregivers, anyone you know who expresses an interest in your pet, and with whom you feel your pet would be comfortable with, if they would consider taking your pet should you pass away. It should not be left up to caseworkers and hospice volunteers to try to place pets for their dying clients.

Planning for our pet’s future in the event of our passing can be a disturbing thought. Consider how adoptable your pet really is. Infirm or elderly pets can be difficult to place. Pets, like people, can often find their way around their lifelong homes without anyone realizing their hearing, vision, and thought processes are failing. It’s when they move to a new location, where everything is unfamiliar, that reality sets in. When elderly pets find themselves in strange surroundings, finding the food dish, let alone the litter box, can become a daunting task. New owners will probably not keep a pet that can’t make it to the bathroom in their new home. Neither can many be expected to take on the added medical expenses that normally come along with a pet’s old age.

Sometimes, as difficult as the decision may be, elderly pets are better off being put to sleep then passed from home to new home and eventually to be left, frightened and confused, at the pound- all because of failing bowels or bladder. Discuss this possibility with your veterinarian. You will find they all agree.

Planning for your demise is a difficult thing to do, but your pets will thank you for it when you’re gone. If you would like to provide a temporary or permanent home for the pets of those passed on, contact the Colville Pet Refuge (509) 732-4126, Becky’s Best Buddies (509) 935-6635, or Stevens County Cat Care at (509) 935-MEOW.