Another Reminder For Safe Travel With Your Pets
With the Memorial Day weekend fast upon us, many of you will be traveling to visit friends and family.
I would like to remind you again of some thoughts for you and your pets.
The question will arise…do we take the pets or not?
EzineArticles.com and author CS Swarens, has previously offered the following useful tips.
..."Determine if Your Pet is Really Ready to Travel
Before you begin making vacation plans that included your four-legged friend, you need to make an honest assessment of your pet's temperament. Is your pet really ready to travel? If your pet has any of these conditions, you should probably send it to a pet sitter or kennel while you are traveling:
• Your pet is very young
• Your pet is very old
• Your pet is ill
• Your pet is pregnant
• Your pet is recovering from surgery
If your pet is extremely hyper, suffers from anxiety, or is otherwise easily upset, taking it on vacation may not be a very good idea.
Get a Clean Bill of Health
Even if your pet seems to be perfectly healthy, you should still take a trip to the veterinarian's office before you head out on vacation. Discuss your travel plans with your veterinarian and ask about any risks you should be concerned about. In addition, you should discuss what you should do if any of these risks occur, such as if your pet becomes carsick or restless while traveling.
You should also make certain your pet's vaccinations are up to date and you should obtain a rabies certificate to take with you while on the trip. If you are traveling by air, you will be required to present this certificate. Even if you are not going by plane, having this on hand will help you avoid potential heartache if your pet nips at someone while traveling. You might also want to consider having your veterinarian insert a microchip that will help you locate your pet if you become separated.
Purchasing a Pet Carrier
With your pet properly prepared to travel, you now need to purchase a pet carrier. The carrier needs to be sturdy and secure so your pet cannot escape. It also needs to be well-ventilated and roomy enough for your pet to be able to stand up and turn around. Be sure to allow your pet to spend time in the carrier before the trip. That way, your pet will be used to the carrier and, hopefully, will be comfortable with having to spend time inside of it. The carrier should also have handles on the outside. That way, if someone else needs to handle the carrier, there is no risk of that person getting bitten.
Be certain to print your pet's name on the outside of the carrier with a permanent marker. You should also write your name, your address and your phone number. In addition to writing your personal address, you should also write your destination so you and your pet can be reunited as quickly as possible if you are separated. After all, the last thing you want is to be worried about your pet when you should be enjoying a memorable vacation together..."
Good advice, if you chose to travel with your pets.
They are your responsibility…
Air Travel With Your Pet Requires Some Planning
Ahhhh. Labor Day weekend.
Back to school for most.
Three-day weekend for all.
End of summer.
Many of us will take advantage of the holiday to do some traveling.
Many of you travelers will take along your favorite pet companions.
If you are planning to fly, you need to know the rules of the air.
The American Kenne Club posts some tips for pet owners:
"When traveling by plane, plan to visit your veterinarian before your trip. Certification of health must be provided no more than 10 days before travel. Rabies and vaccination certificates are also required. Your dog should be at least 8 weeks old and weaned.
Airlines make it clear that it is the owner's responsibility to verify the dog's health and ability to fly. Also be sure to check the temperature of the flight's starting point and destination; it may be too hot or too cold to be safe for your dog.
Federal regulations prohibit shipping live animals as excess baggage or cargo if an animal will be exposed to temperatures that are below 45°F or above 85°F for more than four hours during departure, arrival, or while making connections. (Some airlines have additional temperature regulations for snub-nosed dogs such as Pugs and Boston Terriers.)
Remember that each airline has its own variations on regulations and services. For example, if your crate doesn't meet its requirements, the airline may not allow you to use it. They may, however, allow your dog in the passenger cabin if your crate or carrier fits under the seat in front of you.
When making your reservations, you must make reservations for your dog. There are restrictions on the number of animals permitted. They are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis..."
You may view their website here to see all airlines rules and restrictions for pet travel.
Whether you stay at home and chill or travel. Be safe and enjoy the weekend with your family and your pets.
Include your Veterinarian in your Estate Plans for Your Pet
Certainly, your own family members, the potential trustee and the potential caretakers of your pet must all be in accord with your plans and wishes.
Your estate attorney and financial planer also need to be involved to make sure that your documents conform to the legal and financial standards.
But, don’t forget to meet with your Veterinarian.
Very few individuals have the same insight about the health and well being of your animal as your pet’s own Vet.
A discussion with him or her during your estate planning process can assist greatly.
Medical records and the future potential needs of your pets can be outlined for the caretakers.
Special dietary schedules or exercise or medication routines can be easily established for future reference.
You and your Vet can discuss the potential time line for the duration of the life of your pet. This can provide some guidelines for the total costs that will be necessary for the care of your pet and the necessary funding of the Pet Trust.
Your Vet can also play an integral role in the transfer of physical custody of your pet to the caretaker on a temporary or permanent basis and is indispensable when the final arrangements must be made for inevitable death of your pet.
Talk to your Vet on behalf of your pet.
It is a necessary part of your overall estate plan..
Can You Direct Euthanasia for Your Pets in Your Will?
Many pet owners, who have devoted a great deal of their lives to their animals, believe that if they are no longer around to take care of them, no one else will be equal to the task.
Some may rationalize that it would be better for their pets not to survive, then to be placed into a facility or a home where they might be treated poorly.
Pet owners have tried to eliminate this possibility by inserting a clause into their will that directs that euthanasia be utilized upon their animals at the death of the owner.
Ida Capers of Pennsylvania passed away in 1963. At the time of her death, she had two pet Irish Setters. Ms. Capers inserted a clause into her will that stated:
"I direct that any dog which I may own at the time of my death be destroyed in a humane matter and I give and grant unto my Executors hereinafter named full and complete power and discretion necessary to carry out the same."
The public outcry again this action eventually led the court to decide that the clause was invalid and void as against public policy. In re Capers Estate, 34 Pa. D. & C.2d 121, 122 (1964).
Since that early case, a long line of court decisions have followed that reasoning and subsequently, clauses of this nature are generally not upheld.
As we have seen in other postings, many states and even cities are leading the way in providing their citizens needed information on estate planning for their pets
Many states have authorized the establishment of Statutory Pet Trusts and the courts are slowly but constantly moving toward the acknowledgement of more rights for pet owners.
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York is one of the organizations that is providing extensive information in this area.
Their brochure of public information provides some insight into the area of pet euthanasia. A part of the booklet provides:
“Provisions in a Will directing that an animal be euthanized upon the death of its owner have been invalidated by the courts. While a pet owner may feel it is important to protect a pet from subsequent mistreatment or a "bad home," it is questionable whether a healthy pet's life must end by euthanasia when its owner dies. Nevertheless, if a pet owner wishes to provide for euthanasia, it is preferable to specify in a Will that the pet be cared for by the Executor or a friend for a period of time and ask that this person attempt to find a good home for the pet, and if no home is found after a specified reasonable period of time, that the animal may betaken for euthanasia. A court may be less likely to overturn such a provision”
The entire document can be viewed here.
On final thought by the New York City Bar is somewhat ominous,
“It should be noted that if you bequeath your animal to a friend or relative, that person becomes the owner and has all the rights and obligations of the pet's care, including the right to euthanize the animal.”
Does your friend love your animal as much as you?
