For me, my dog has people fighting over him when I pass so it is not an issue. He will go to the place where he spends most of his time. If I was in your shoes I would e mail BEST FRIENDS, you might be able to make arrangements and contributions to them to care for your pets or they may even have a suggestion for you that might work out, good luck

I'm so glad that you are thinking about a will. I would not put off making one as you never can know when something will happen. Checking with an appropriate rescue group is definitely an option if you have no others. As for friends...you should ask them before you make that arrangement in your will as well. I don't know that there are many other options available to you. Are you on good terms with your neighbors? They might be another option. Whatever you decide ask first. But I congratulate you on thinking about all your loved ones after you die. Many people do not. Last time I went away on vacation I made arrangements for my dog in case something happened to us. So many people forget their pets when make wills. You could also set up a pet trust. This way whoever takes care of your animals will have the finances available.

I am not trained in the law. I have read and thought about this, though. I do know that you cannot leave money directly to your pets, but instead you have to leave the money to someone who will promise to take care of the animals. Then I suppose you have to trust that it will happen.

It seems that this might be a good business to start: charging a certain sum to take care of the pets after the death of the owner. Sort of like an annuity for the care of the animals. Provisions would have to be made for the care of the animals in case of the death or disability of the person contracted to care for the animals, so maybe it would have to be a corporation that contracted with people to provide care after their deaths.

Nancy...you can set up a trust for your pets...its basically the same thing as leaving them money. The trust has a trustee that will be responsible for administering the trust. This way you can be sure that the money actually gets to your pets. You leave instructions for the trustee on how you want it administered...this way you can make sure your pets see the vet on a regular basis and ensure that whoever is caring for your pets does not squander the money as they can only get money as the pet needs it. Say for instance my dog...her food cost about 80 dollars a bag for a month...plus a little money for incidental. So I could have the trustee only give the pets caretaker 100 a month. If the pet needs to go to the vet...the caretaker will tell the trustee who will release more money and then get a receipt from the vet. The trustee could be an attorney so that there is no doubt the pets needs are taken care of. The trustee of course gets paid for administering the trust as well. When this method is used it is recommended that the pet gets chipped so that if the pet dies the caretaker can not buy a look alike. This is good if there is no one you personally know. So for instance if OP left the pet with a rescue group...this may be a good way to ensure her pet lives the life it is accustomed to. If you are rich you could even have the trustee make sure your mortgage and taxes are taken care of so that your pet can live out its life in your home. Setting up a pet trust is the perfect way to ensure a good life for your loved one after your departure.

"Helmsley's Dog Gets $12 Million in Will"

The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 29, 2007; 8:37 PM

NEW YORK -- Leona Helmsley's dog will continue to live an opulent life, and then be buried alongside her in a mausoleum. But two of Helmsley's grandchildren got nothing from the late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire's estate.

Helmsley left her beloved white Maltese, named Trouble, a $12 million trust fund, according to her will, which was made public Tuesday in surrogate court.

She also left millions for her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, who was named to care for Trouble in her absence, and two of four grandchildren from her late son Jay Panzirer. If those two grandchildren don't visit their father's grave site at least once a year, she wrote, they will lose half of the $10 million she left for each of them.

Helmsley left nothing to two of Jay Panzirer's other children _ Craig and Meegan Panzirer _ for "reasons that are known to them," she wrote.

Helmsley left nothing to two of Jay Panzirer's other children _ Craig and Meegan Panzirer _ for "reasons that are known to them," she wrote.

But no one made out better than Trouble, who once appeared in ads for the Helmsley Hotels, and lived up to her name by biting a housekeeper.

"I direct that when my dog, Trouble, dies, her remains shall be buried next to my remains in the Helmsley mausoleum," Helmsley wrote in her will.

The mausoleum, she ordered, must be "washed or steam-cleaned at least once a year." She left behind $3 million for the upkeep of her final resting place in Westchester County, where she is buried with her husband, Harry Helmsley.

She also left her chauffeur, Nicholas Celea, $100,000.

She ordered that cash from sales of the Helmsley's residences and belongings, reported to be worth billions, be sold and that the money be given to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

Her longtime spokesman, Howard Rubenstein, had no comment.

Helmsley died earlier this month at her Connecticut home. She became known as a symbol of 1980s greed and earned the nickname "the Queen of Mean" after her 1988 indictment and subsequent conviction for tax evasion. One employee had quoted her as snarling, "Only the little people pay taxes."

This is one of the factors I've considered as I think about getting more cats as my current ones pass on. I don't really want them to outlive me. I'm thinking about foster cats that presumably would return to the shelter if I die. I currently have a substantial donation in my will to the shelter and I'm hoping that will buy the cats a foster home spot even if they are filled to capacity - which they always are. Hopefully both DH and I will not kick the bucket any time soon leaving the cats without a home.

Pets make such a valuable contribution to an elderly or housebound person's life. But many of them have been strong-armed by well-meaning family members not to get one because of the very issue of what happens to it, should the owner die. One of my mother's friends lives alone, lost her dog ten years ago and is hungry for companionship. She was well able to let it out in her fenced yard, even walk it for many years. She is still able to care for one, other than visits to the vet. What a pity.

My mother had several cats and then adopted a dog through our local shelter under the Purina pets for seniors program. She had just been widowed and we talked often about the disposition of her pets, should she die first. She was 'sure' one of my cousins would take the dog. No, she had never enquired, but she thought they would be wonderful owners, and she was right, they would be. But, you simply must ask. I talked to them after the fact and they shared with me that no they wouldn't have been able to take on the little doggie, they were already pet poor.

As it turned out, my daughter, who was my mother's primary caretaker when my mother got more infirm wanted to take the dog desperately when Mama passed away. And I took the last surviving cat, whom I still have. So it worked out well. What I did not think about, nor my mother was to make out some sort of bequeth or will for the dog's care. Little doggie developed diabetes, and other medical issues and they were big ticket items my daughter had to take care of out of her own pocket. I helped with some insurance money, but it should have been attended to before my mother's death, only we never gave the money end of it a thought. All pet owners, no matter how young they are, should make provisions for their pet care....should the animal survived them.