Audrey Stone was the proud pet parent of Jack, a 14 yr old Golden Retriever with bad arthritis and a heart murmur. She was also the parent of Sofie, a 13 yr old domestic cat with diabetes. Sofie needed her insulin shots twice a day and Jack had prescription pills he had to be coerced into swallowing. Audrey read the ABCs of Pet Trusts and worked with her attorney and Guardian Pet Trust to prepare a Pet Trust with two Care Plans for her beloved pets. When the Pet Trust was finished, Audrey was relieved. She could rest easy knowing that if something happened to her, Jack and Sofie would not wind up in a shelter. The Pet Trust would help ensure her pets would be cared for the way she wanted.

Two months later, tragedy struck when Audrey was in a very bad car accident. She was hospitalized in critical condition and no one knew if she would survive. Without a Pet Trust, Audrey’s older and ill pets could have been brought to a shelter, facing euthanizations. But since the Pet Trust was in place, both pets were rehomed with a Foster, awaiting the prognosis of Audrey’s accident. The Foster fell in love with the dog and cat and did her best to provide a wonderful home. She followed the guidelines of the Pet Trust and knew the best way to administer the medications to both pets.

Unfortunately, Audrey did not survive the accident. Having a Pet Trust was a blessing. Her beloved pets were able to stay together and move to a forever home. The new Caretaker follows the guidelines of the Pet Trust and provides the familiar comfort the pets need. The tragedy turned into triumph when the dog and cat were able to be rehomed as a family and continue to live the lifestyle they had always known. By preparing a Pet Trust, Audrey had protected, and probably saved, her fur babies’ lives.

Audrey is no longer here to speak about what happened but her story speaks for itself. Other pet lovers like you helped her dog and cat stay in a loving home instead of dying at a shelter.

By preparing a Pet Trust to care for her pets, Audrey freed up two spaces in the shelter in her community. Her two older pets were cared for in new homes and two younger, more adoptable pets were able to go to the shelter where they were adopted. Audrey shows us that her Pet Trust saved 4 pets! Four innocent sweet animals were able to live their lives in loving homes because of one Pet Trust.

You can help in many ways. Here are a few:

• Spread awareness about Pet Trusts

• Get our book, The ABCs of Pet Trusts, to more people

• Screen and train volunteer Fosters and Caretakers

• Rehabilitate dogs and cats to help them become more adoptable

• Furnish start-up supplies for pet rehoming

• Subsidize Pet Trusts and offer Pet Trust Grants

• Fund Foster Stipends

• Create marketing materials

• Provide educational workshops to strategic partners