Editorial: Who gets your pet if you die? Have a plan

Do you have a plan for your pets if you die?

A lot of people, especially those who are still young, don't want to think about death. But it is an inevitable part of our existence, and you may end up leaving this life before you had hoped. Some feel like planning for that possibility is some kind of jinx, that thinking about it and building contingencies will somehow bring it about. But that kind of superstition needs to be put aside, especially when you've got another living creature depending on you.

The BC SPCA recently reminded people about the importance of estate planning when it comes to your pets, after they were asked to take over the care of seven cats that were left without an owner when someone died.

“These kinds of surrenders happen more often than people realize,” said the SPCA's Eileen Drever. “It makes it easier on everyone, the animals, friends and family, if you have an existing plan in place in the unfortunate case you can no longer care for your pets.”

Most pet owners will want to have some say in what will happen to their animals. Dogs, cats and bunnies are wonderful companions, but not everyone will be able to take on the care of one or more. Perhaps they live in a building that does not allow pets. Perhaps they travel a lot and can't give them the time and love they need. Older animals can require veterinary care that not everyone will be able to afford.

More exotic pets can be even more difficult to find a home for. Birds, for example, can be very long lived and require social interaction. The World Parrot Refuge in Coombs was inundated with hundreds of exotic birds before it, too, closed due to the death of the sanctuary's founder Wendy Huntbatch.

Snakes and other reptiles, as well as things like spiders, definitely aren't for everyone. The same can be said for things like rats, which are very intelligent and social creatures.

So pet owners need to have conversations with friends and family to find out who will be willing to adopt their pet should something happen to them. It's also a good idea to make sure your pet gets to know that person. Your pet will feel your loss, in most cases, and if they have someone else they know around to take care of them it will be comforting. The person you've chosen will also have a better idea of what will be required when it comes to animal ownership. It's also a good idea to make sure everyone in your life knows the plan.

It's part of being a responsible pet owner. You are not inviting tragedy by doing so, you're preventing it.