Pet Power of Attorney or Health Care Proxy?
If I already have a separate Power of Attorney for my six year Dalmatian, Danny, do I really need a Health Care Proxy? To me it just seems like a duplication of paperwork and excess money to spend.
Beau Aliceville, Alabama
Beau… good question.
Your Power of Attorney can specifically acknowledge ownership of any of your pets, provide identification via a v-chip or natural markings and set out in great detail the exercise and feeding habits of Danny (good name by the way). If you become incapacitated, the Agent named in the Power of Attorney will know exactly what regime to follow.
Your Pet Power of Attorney should also grant the Agent the sole and exclusive right to take temporary custody and control of Danny or to appoint someone else, perhaps better equipped to do so. This alternate may be your Vet or a pet hospital.
You need to provide for some type of access to money for the Agent, to take care of your pet when you are unable.
As to your specific question, although I have never personally encountered this problem, I have heard of a situation where a Vet for whatever reason would not accept the Power of Attorney appointment as providing the necessary consent for medical treatment. The Vet advised that he would have treated the animal in an emergency situation, but not otherwise.
As you are aware many individuals have both a Power of Attorney and a Health Care Declaration appointment in their estate planning package for someone to make medical decisions on their behalf for exactly this reason...so there will be clarity and no indecision of treatment.
Perhaps, as out pets move more into the family circle, we will need to provide more complete documentation for third party acceptance.
Sometimes change can be good… and sometimes change can…
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