What Plans Do You Have In Place To Care For Your Animals

[Tilly]

With so many people moving or situations changing and having to give up their animals ... I often wonder what plans people have in place to care for their animals in the even of something happening to them.

If you where killed or seriously injured and couldn't care for your dogs - do you have plans in place for the care of your animals?

If you are renting - what plans do you have in place if your current rental becomes unavailable and you can't immediately find a place that will allow you to have your animals with you?

If you needed to evacuate your house for a period of time (days or weeks) - do you know what you are going to do with your animals?

[W Sibs]

If you where killed or seriously injured and couldn't care for your dogs - do you have plans in place for the care of your animals?

Mr CW get them if I died. If I was seriously injured, Mr CW will look after me and the dogs But, if he wasn't around, my family will look after me and the dogs. They will be with me because they will probably be a huge influence on my getting better (even if it's mentally and emotionally).

If you are renting - what plans do you have in place if your current rental becomes unavailable and you can't immediately find a place that will allow you to have your animals with you?

I'm blessed that I have a lot of great friends who will help me out if I was in that situation. Mr CW and I don't live with each other, and we are always welcome to stay with him. In fact, Charlie and I were homeless for a few weeks when I was between houses and we stayed with him (also make me realise that I can never live in an apartment again)

If you needed to evacuate your house for a period of time (days or weeks) - do you know what you are going to do with your animals?

Same answer at the question above

[B-Q]

I'm very lucky my immediate family are all animal people. I still live at home and I would trust my mother, brother or sister to take Buster. If something happened to me I wouldn't mind if they rehomed Quinn to an active/sport home if they found her too much, I'd rahter that than she develop issues. My mother is crazy about Quinn though, she often says she shouldn't bother getting her own dog and just steal Quinn instead so they'd probably both stay with Mum.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Kenzie would probably go to one of my friends (there are about 3 who argue which should have her in that event!!). The cats would likely go to my parents or my brother. But my immediate family would still want visiting rights with Kenzie - they love her to bits but also recognise that they could not meet her needs as well as some of my friends could and they know that I always want the best for my critters.

[PennyGB]

If Mr PGB was also unable to care for our pup we have lots of family and friends who would take on Archer, just like we would take on their dogs in similar circumstances. In fact we currently have my friend's dog staying with us as she has just moved to our city and does not have a house yet.

Isn't that what family and friends are the best at? Looking after each other? In my (and my friends/family) world that includes pets

[Atanquin]

Family I think I would have Everyone fighting over who got to look after zorro he such a smooch

Edited July 28, 2011 by Atanquin

[Tilly]

In the event of something happening to me my younger brother will get the dogs ... but my mum wants our older boy - she would take the youngest but I think he is too spirited for her. My mum would take my two cockatiels if she had too but they will probably go to a friend who has a massive avairy.

We have had an evacuation in our area before (just not involving our house) so I have given this a fair bit of thought and have set things up so I can grab stuff on the way out the door. If we had to evacuate for a couple of days - we would head to my parents place. The only problem I would have would be taking the birds because I haven't got a "travel" cage for them yet ... but I have some storage baskets I could cable tie together to use in an emergency. Not ideal but definately ok in an emergency.

During the evacuation in our area - there was a family who had evacuated ... but forgot to take their 9 weeks old pup with them!!! The police had to go back into the area to collect the pup - I remember thinking I would have grabbed all the animals but forgotten to wake up my brother.

[kelpiekaye]

If you where killed or seriously injured and couldn't care for your dogs - do you have plans in place for the care of your animals?

I was seriously injured in a car accident on my way to work one morning. I had my dogs with me. Someone from another car removed dogs from car and they were taken to the SPCA and checked out. My boss went and picked them up and took them to his place and looked after them till I was able. None of this was pre planned. I was very lucky I had good friends and family to help out in my time of need.

[Starkehre]

I have a laminated card in my wallet that explains who I am and that I have dogs at home that need taking care of immediately in the case of me being killed, seriously or fatally injured.

Providing contact details, I explain whom to contact to take care of this should my husband also be involved in a serious or fatal accident.

I have different plans in place for whether myself and my husband are seriously injured and require hospitalisation or if we are killed. This ranges from euthanasia through to rehoming or temporary homing. I also have discussed this with the homes involved. These are breeders of these animals.

I tend to look at this card once a year and make any changes if things have changed in our lives or with the dogs. Depending on the dog's temperament I would euth once they got to a certain age if I became incapacitated or died.

I do not my dogs to go to any of my family, other than my husband of course. They do not look after animals as I do.

[Stutterfly]

My mum (while sad at my being injured...) would definitely take Bertie if something happened to DH and me. Otherwise, DH's brother would, or the breeder would take him back, or another breeder friend of mine....

Bertie is a popular dog

I hate seeing notices for dogs who have to be rehomed due to owners dying or being injured sufficiently to no longer be able to care for them. It's very sad for all involved.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Stutterfly

[Guest lavendergirl]

If my OH could not also care for him he would have to be rehomed by family members who all work at present. It would depend on their circumstances at the time. As he is a lap dog he could not cope with being left alone. I have included a document with his papers describing his temperament, food and health regime etc. and the type of home that would suit him.

[Pollywaffle]

We've probably, (foolishly in hindsight), made our dogs very much one owner dogs - and whilst my dear parents and sister said they would take them, I would have them euthanised if we weren't around...that probably sounds selfish and they'd probably manage, but I'd hate to think of their lives being so disrupted...and I guess my ego wouldn't allow me to think they'd be happy with anyone else...yep, I'm probably dreaming and they'd be fine elsewhere...fingers crossed it won't happen!

[Guest Panzer Attack!]

One of my dogs would remain with my ex, who is looking after him until such time as we move back in together as he can't bear to see him go. In all honesty, he is more his dog than mine now, but I still pay for his food and stuff so he's technically at least half-mine!

Scooter on the other hand... I'm not quite sure. If there was an emergency I know that Luke would temp care him for a week or so, but after that I don't think it would be fair on Barkly. Ex would leap at the chance of taking care of him, but I don't know if he could permanently look after Scooter as he's got a sporting dog's drive (and T is lazy and snoozy, which is ex's ideal temprament in a dog). Having said that, he is a complete snuggle-bum and my mother would most likely take him on as she's totally in love with my aunt's Toy Poodle and talks reguarly of having her own toy breed and asks about Scooter all the time (but never asks about T! LOL!).

But if he ended up being a really great show dog or something, I'd let the breeder have him back if she wanted.

This is something I really have to think about!!

In an emergency situation I'd board him. I have a credit card with a large limit on it solely in case of animal emergencies.

E x

[Steve]

Pacers deals with this a lot. Its all not as easy as it sounds. We get people all the time who thought their family would look after them etc only to find that when it came to the crunch they wanted them to be PTS while the patient was recovering.

This was the press release which explains Gary's story better than I can.

Helping people and their pets in crisis

When disaster strikes – whether it be an earthquake, flood, fire or a tragic and unforseen accident – looking after human survivors are priority and often times the needs associated with their pets are overlooked.

But a dedicated group of volunteers are helping to make a difference for fellow pet owners and their animals through PACERS, a national charity initiated by the Master Dog Breeders and Associates (MDBA). The organisation’s aim is to ensure the pets are receiving the best of care and their owners don’t feel overwhelmed and needing to surrender, neglect or have them suffer in any way when things get tough.

“We offer pet owners a safety net if things go wrong unexpectedly, including personal hardship and natural disasters (such as the Queensland and Victoria floods),” said Julie Nelson, CEO of MDBA PACERS. “A very large part of what we do is about the pet owners in the belief that if we help and support the owners, their pets will benefit the most.”

The PACERS philosophy proved true with Gary Prichard of Albury, NSW who became nearly quadriplegic following a car accident in April last year and could no longer care for his beloved five-year-old dog, Banjo.

Gary suffered severe spinal damage with multiple fractures to the back and neck vertebrae and artery dissection. He initially lay flat on his back for two months in a Melbourne hospital, where he learned he might not be able to get from bed to a wheelchair without assistance.

Fear for Banjo’s future

But Gary was most concerned about Banjo's future, fearing he would never be able to care for him again. “Banjo had experienced a bad start in life,” said Gary. “He was handed in to the Albury pound as a puppy in such a bad condition that the vet almost put him down.”

At four months old, Banjo went to Albury Dog Rescue where he was adopted by Gary and became the best of buddies. After the accident, Banjo was moved from pillar to post. Gary became particularly anxious after a well-meaning friend who was looking after his affairs suggested the best thing for Banjo would be to have him euthanised.

“I wasn’t going to let this happen,” said Gary.

That's when a plea for help brought Chris Lythollous, a PACERS foster carer from Albury, into his and Banjo's lives. Chris’ compassion for her fellow humans and enthusiastic attitude towards the care of dogs created a situation where Banjo became the focal point of Gary's recovery, explained Julie.

“When I was in hospital in Melbourne, Chris sent me photos and e-mails about Banjo,” said Gary. “When I moved back to Albury hospital, she went out of her way to regularly visit me with Banjo during the three or more months I was there.”

During this time, Gary progressed from bed to wheelchair to walking frame to crutches. Towards the end of his stay in hospital, Chris and her partner Shane took Gary and Banjo to the local off-leash park so Gary could watch Banjo play.

“When I was finally able to return home, Chris first brought Banjo for day visits, then sleepovers, and it was not long before he was home for good,” said Gary.

When Banjo returned home, Chris then provided various bedding items and new food and water bowls for him, while Shane helped out with several jobs around the house.

Gary still gets emotional when he talks about the impact Chris has had on his life in allowing his love and care for Banjo to be able to positively impact on his recovery. “She is an inspiration,” said Gary. “She is a pure ball of positive energy and a beacon of light.”

MDBA PACERS Awards

And if ever Chris was to be in such desperate need, there will be PACERS and a foster carer waiting in the wings to help bring her and her animals through, said Julie. “All of our foster carers are special people who put themselves out in this way to help a fellow pet owner and our gratitude for them in doing that can’t be overstated.”

Last night, Chris was presented the MDBA PACERS Award for Outstanding Service of the Year at the annual MDBA Awards, held at the Jika International in Melbourne.

Humbled by the award, Chris said she did “nothing out of the ordinary” and that she owed a lot of her dedication to helping Banjo and Gary to the great support she received from the PACERS team.

“I would hope that someone would support anyone in the same position and help them to keep their animals,” said Chris.

PACERS services

PACERS provides foster carers for animals whose owners are temporarily homeless, ill or who have suffered accidents, but it also helps out with walking or cleaning to ensure the animals stay at home if that’s the best solution.

After the Queensland and Victoria floods, PACERS organised crates and cages, first aid equipment and animal feeds. The organisation also provided fencing and penning – whatever that was needed quickly to contain and keep animals safe, well and with their owners, so they had one thing less to worry about while trying to cope with the tragedy.

“When people all around are grieving for their friends and family, those who are grieving for pets often have no way to verbalise how they are feeling and their loss can be trivialised by many in the community,” said Julie. “PACERS provides bereavement counselling via phone and in person for those who are suffering due to the loss of their pet. We are still getting calls via counsellors for help post Victorian bushfires."

Because many people were afraid to go to work and leave their animals at home on high fire danger days, PACERS set up carers who would babysit their pets on these days between work hours.

“Simple things sometimes makes a huge difference and just being able to supply a penned area and food, as well as a shoulder to cry on, makes a lot of difference,” said Julie.

PACERS in need of funds

Julie thanked all the businesses that support PACERS through donations of services and supplies.

“With the generous help of Eukanuba we have been able to help feed thousands of cats and dogs whose owners have hit hard times and provide donations of food to over 20 private canine rescue organisations,” she said.

But PACERS is in need of additional ongoing funds in order to continue providing assistance to pet owners and their companion animals around Australia. “Much of the services and supplies are donated, but we also need cash flow to be able to cover vet bills and various other expenses which are inherent in what we do,” said Julie.

For further information about MDBA PACERS or to donate, please contact [email protected] or 02 6927 6707.

For more information

For more information or media interviews, please contact:

Julie Nelson

CEO of MDBA

Tel 02 6927 6707

Mob 0427 015 152

Email [email protected]

Discover more at www.mdbapacers.org.au

_______________________________

Press Release by

Caroline Zambrano

Freelance Pet Editor/Writer

Sydney, Australia

Mob: 0403 550 730

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.petjournalist.com.au

[kelpiekaye]

Pacers deals with this a lot. Its all not as easy as it sounds. We get people all the time who thought their family would look after them etc only to find that when it came to the crunch they wanted them to be PTS while the patient was recovering.

This was the press release which explains Gary's story better than I can.

Helping people and their pets in crisis

When disaster strikes – whether it be an earthquake, flood, fire or a tragic and unforseen accident – looking after human survivors are priority and often times the needs associated with their pets are overlooked.

But a dedicated group of volunteers are helping to make a difference for fellow pet owners and their animals through PACERS, a national charity initiated by the Master Dog Breeders and Associates (MDBA). The organisation’s aim is to ensure the pets are receiving the best of care and their owners don’t feel overwhelmed and needing to surrender, neglect or have them suffer in any way when things get tough.

“We offer pet owners a safety net if things go wrong unexpectedly, including personal hardship and natural disasters (such as the Queensland and Victoria floods),” said Julie Nelson, CEO of MDBA PACERS. “A very large part of what we do is about the pet owners in the belief that if we help and support the owners, their pets will benefit the most.”

The PACERS philosophy proved true with Gary Prichard of Albury, NSW who became nearly quadriplegic following a car accident in April last year and could no longer care for his beloved five-year-old dog, Banjo.

Gary suffered severe spinal damage with multiple fractures to the back and neck vertebrae and artery dissection. He initially lay flat on his back for two months in a Melbourne hospital, where he learned he might not be able to get from bed to a wheelchair without assistance.

Fear for Banjo’s future

But Gary was most concerned about Banjo's future, fearing he would never be able to care for him again. “Banjo had experienced a bad start in life,” said Gary. “He was handed in to the Albury pound as a puppy in such a bad condition that the vet almost put him down.”

At four months old, Banjo went to Albury Dog Rescue where he was adopted by Gary and became the best of buddies. After the accident, Banjo was moved from pillar to post. Gary became particularly anxious after a well-meaning friend who was looking after his affairs suggested the best thing for Banjo would be to have him euthanised.

“I wasn’t going to let this happen,” said Gary.

That's when a plea for help brought Chris Lythollous, a PACERS foster carer from Albury, into his and Banjo's lives. Chris’ compassion for her fellow humans and enthusiastic attitude towards the care of dogs created a situation where Banjo became the focal point of Gary's recovery, explained Julie.

“When I was in hospital in Melbourne, Chris sent me photos and e-mails about Banjo,” said Gary. “When I moved back to Albury hospital, she went out of her way to regularly visit me with Banjo during the three or more months I was there.”

During this time, Gary progressed from bed to wheelchair to walking frame to crutches. Towards the end of his stay in hospital, Chris and her partner Shane took Gary and Banjo to the local off-leash park so Gary could watch Banjo play.

“When I was finally able to return home, Chris first brought Banjo for day visits, then sleepovers, and it was not long before he was home for good,” said Gary.

When Banjo returned home, Chris then provided various bedding items and new food and water bowls for him, while Shane helped out with several jobs around the house.

Gary still gets emotional when he talks about the impact Chris has had on his life in allowing his love and care for Banjo to be able to positively impact on his recovery. “She is an inspiration,” said Gary. “She is a pure ball of positive energy and a beacon of light.”

MDBA PACERS Awards

And if ever Chris was to be in such desperate need, there will be PACERS and a foster carer waiting in the wings to help bring her and her animals through, said Julie. “All of our foster carers are special people who put themselves out in this way to help a fellow pet owner and our gratitude for them in doing that can’t be overstated.”

Last night, Chris was presented the MDBA PACERS Award for Outstanding Service of the Year at the annual MDBA Awards, held at the Jika International in Melbourne.

Humbled by the award, Chris said she did “nothing out of the ordinary” and that she owed a lot of her dedication to helping Banjo and Gary to the great support she received from the PACERS team.

“I would hope that someone would support anyone in the same position and help them to keep their animals,” said Chris.

PACERS services

PACERS provides foster carers for animals whose owners are temporarily homeless, ill or who have suffered accidents, but it also helps out with walking or cleaning to ensure the animals stay at home if that’s the best solution.

After the Queensland and Victoria floods, PACERS organised crates and cages, first aid equipment and animal feeds. The organisation also provided fencing and penning – whatever that was needed quickly to contain and keep animals safe, well and with their owners, so they had one thing less to worry about while trying to cope with the tragedy.

“When people all around are grieving for their friends and family, those who are grieving for pets often have no way to verbalise how they are feeling and their loss can be trivialised by many in the community,” said Julie. “PACERS provides bereavement counselling via phone and in person for those who are suffering due to the loss of their pet. We are still getting calls via counsellors for help post Victorian bushfires."

Because many people were afraid to go to work and leave their animals at home on high fire danger days, PACERS set up carers who would babysit their pets on these days between work hours.

“Simple things sometimes makes a huge difference and just being able to supply a penned area and food, as well as a shoulder to cry on, makes a lot of difference,” said Julie.

PACERS in need of funds

Julie thanked all the businesses that support PACERS through donations of services and supplies.

“With the generous help of Eukanuba we have been able to help feed thousands of cats and dogs whose owners have hit hard times and provide donations of food to over 20 private canine rescue organisations,” she said.

But PACERS is in need of additional ongoing funds in order to continue providing assistance to pet owners and their companion animals around Australia. “Much of the services and supplies are donated, but we also need cash flow to be able to cover vet bills and various other expenses which are inherent in what we do,” said Julie.

For further information about MDBA PACERS or to donate, please contact [email protected] or 02 6927 6707.

For more information

For more information or media interviews, please contact:

Julie Nelson

CEO of MDBA

Tel 02 6927 6707

Mob 0427 015 152

Email [email protected]

Discover more at www.mdbapacers.org.au

_______________________________

Press Release by

Caroline Zambrano

Freelance Pet Editor/Writer

Sydney, Australia

Mob: 0403 550 730

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.petjournalist.com.au

Awesome

[GeckoTree]

With so many people moving or situations changing and having to give up their animals ... I often wonder what plans people have in place to care for their animals in the even of something happening to them.

If you where killed or seriously injured and couldn't care for your dogs - do you have plans in place for the care of your animals?

If you are renting - what plans do you have in place if your current rental becomes unavailable and you can't immediately find a place that will allow you to have your animals with you?

If you needed to evacuate your house for a period of time (days or weeks) - do you know what you are going to do with your animals?

If you where killed or seriously injured and couldn't care for your dogs - do you have plans in place for the care of your animals?- Yes.

If you are renting - what plans do you have in place if your current rental becomes unavailable and you can't immediately find a place that will allow you to have your animals with you?- N/A. But I would kennel her for the short while if that were the case. Nearly all places are pet negotiable around here.

If you needed to evacuate your house for a period of time (days or weeks) - do you know what you are going to do with your animals?- Yes, dog will come with me where I go and we will both adapt to the situations at hand.

[bianca.a]

I have talked to my parents about this and in the event something were to happen to me, they will take the cats and dog. I know they would be well looked after and loved. I wish my DH could care for them, but he is a paraplegic with me as his carer so it wouldn't really be feasible.