Is your dog in your will?If I Should Die Before My Doghelps pet parents plan for their dog’s future in their will.

As pet parents, we know that there’s a good chance that we’ll outlive our furry kids. We make the most of the time we’re given with them. But what would happen if you died first? Getting your affairs in order is just another part of being an adult. We don’t want to think about it, but it’s important to allocate your belongings when you pass away. Aside from the normal financial and beneficial jargon that goes into a will, you also need to think about what will happen to your dog if you’re not around to take care of him.

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Recently, we became aware of a book called If I Should Die Before My Dog, written by Cathy and Joe Connolly. It helps pet parents prepare for the instance where they can no longer care for their pet. If health issues or death render your pooch an orphan, you want to put a plan in place for your dog. By including details as to what should happen in case of death or illness, this part of the will can tell your pet’s story and outline the plan and care for the future.

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Here are a few tips from the book that you should consider when writing your will, as it pertains your dog:

• Primary Caregiver : When designing a will for your pet, make sure to name caregivers. Essentially, the idea is to come up with Godparents for the pet just in case. Pick someone close to you who knows and gets along well with the dog. It needs to be someone who is willing to take over care for the dog and give them a happy home for the rest of their lives.
• Money Matters : How will you provide for your pet in this situation? Are you leaving them money in the will or will the new guardian take over the majority of the financial burden? For your peace of mind, you should make sure there are sufficient funds available for your dog’s care.
• Your Pet’s Story: When you update your will, be sure to have a frequently updated description of your pet’s story, as well as their needs and any other important information.
• Write It Down : Make sure that anything you’ve decided to do is compiled into a legal document. This will make it straight forward and keep it simple for everyone involved. By making it legal, you will ensure that the plan in place is followed, and the money left to care for your dog will go where it’s supposed to.

If I Die Before My Dog is available on Amazon, and is a valuable tool for outlining the essential processes for pet parents. We know that it’s a downer, but nobody can predict the future, and we owe it to our pets to be responsible in planning for the unplanned.