Who will look after my dog is something happens to me?

My partner and I don't really have any friends and family that we'd trust to look after our pup's interest if something happened to us. In fact, since we lost our parents last year we don't really have anyone that would immediately notice if we didn't come home one day. Our next of kins live miles away and whilst we're on friendly terms with neighbors we tend not to be aware of each others comings and goings. If something happened to us it could be a while before friends got wind of it.

I worry what would happen to her in the short term if we were involved in an accident. She'd be locked in her crate at home - how long would it be before anyone realised?

And what about long term? Who would look after her if for example we both ended up in hospital...or worse?

We want to make provision for her in our wills, and find some way of making sure that if something happened to us that someone would QUICKLY check on Beanie and look after her. I'm thinking along the lines of a 'Pet at Home' card that you could carry.

Any ideas on how to go about this if you don't have friends or family that you could trust with this? I'd trust her breeder to take care of her and would make financial provisions for this, but I wouldn't trust anyone to get her safely & quickly to the breeder! Hopefully as we get to know more doggy people we'll soon find people we could count on, but in the mean time....?

thats what neighbours are for.

The Cinnamon Trust was set up to aid the elderly and terminally ill with their pets, and I think they have an 'Emergency Card' but I really don't know of another organisation that would do a similar thing for those with next of kin that live far away.

The 'Pet at Home' card you mention does seem like a really good idea. Would there be any chance you could talk these cocerns through with your neighbour?

I have the same problem, although one of my neighbours is my closest friend. However, she's not a dog person and I wouldn't trust her to do the right thing as far as my three dogs are concerned.
I think a Pet at Home card is a good idea - at least the dogs would get some basic attention. Better than leaving them to starve.... which doesn't even bear thinking about

I have a plaque on the front gate that I painted myself, it has an English Setter on it and has my mobile phone number and my distant neighbours home phone number painted on it asking anyone to get in touch in the event of an emergency as there are dogs in the house. This neighbour has a key to my house.

I also have a card in my purse that says I have dogs at home and to ring my friend if I was in an accident.

Fortunately I also have doggy friends around here that check up on me every day if I haven't phoned them, so they also know about the dogs although mine have access to the outside and water 24/7, so although they may go hungry for a while if anything were to happen, that would be all.

I'm sure I saw something in the quarterly mag I get from Petplan about a card scheme that did just that, emergency services would contact either a friend/relative or nominated rescue

I think I have binned the mag but will go search and update if i find it

Unless anyone else has petplan Insurance and could update..

ETA http://www.woodgreen.org.uk/how-to-help-pet-alert.asp it looks as though you may have to leave them something in your will, as it's the legacies dept you need to email...but might be worth a call??

Great idea , I guess you could just put a rescue organisation as contact if no friends or family around?

Dog's Trust do a 'Canine Care Card'. It's a free service and means that if there's no one to look after your dog, they will rehome him.

www.dogstrust.org.uk

HTH x

Brilliant! Thanks for that Sarah x