The Final Gift We Can Give Our Animals

My mom adopted a cat who suddenly found himself in need of a home. He wasn’t abandoned, and he wasn’t turned into a shelter. He lived with a couple, and the wife passed away after a long illness. The following year, the husband passed away suddenly.

We put plans in place for our children if something happens to us, but how often are we doing that for our animals?

Very often, I see rescues and shelters posting animals that have suddenly lost their humans. The shelters tend to make that animal a priority because they’re confused and scared. They aren’t adapting to the shelter environment, and it’s affecting their emotional well-being. Left in that situation long-term, the animal may become depressed and withdrawn. It may begin to affect their physical health, and they may get overlooked by a potential new family.

I’m single, I live alone, and I’m working to put a plan in place for all of my animals in case something unexpectedly happens to me. I’ve set aside a little money to help them get started in their new home.

When we are creating wills or preplanning our final arrangements, it’s important to keep in mind who we are leaving behind. We always expect our animals will go before us, but it isn’t always the case. We make preparations for our spouses and our children so that they’re in a secure place if we go before them. We should also consider our animals.

We should talk to our spouses and our children to ensure that they will be able to continue caring for our non-human best friends. If we live alone, we should talk to our family members and friends and try to secure a backup home for them to make a confusing transition a little smoother. And if we’re able to put aside a little bit of money to get them started in their new home with food or cat litter, especially if they have special needs or special diets, it would make the transition a little smoother for the new humans as well.

Our animal companions give us so much that we can give them a final gift of securing their future when we are no longer a part of that future.