What Happens to Your Pets if You Die
For this #WiseWednesday, we want to talk about what can often be an unpleasant but very important topic: What happens if our animal family members outlive us?
I recently went out into the street to see police officers in front of my neighbor’s house. I quickly received the sad news that she had passed away unexpectedly, alone in her home, at only 47 years of age. Her friend had last seen her several days prior, and had come that morning to check on her, after messages went unanswered. I’d often chatted with my neighbor (a fellow cat lover) in the street, and she had shown me her kitty Purin-chan through the window. I asked the police if the kitty was in the house, and they confirmed she was there. They were worried about the kitty, since it was unknown how long she’d gone without food and water. They allowed me to enter the house and to take custody of Purin-chan, as there was nobody else available to do so. Luckily, Purin-chan seemed not to have suffered physical damage from the experience, but that’s not to say she wasn’t otherwise suffering. The sudden loss of her person, in combination with a huge change in living environment, had clearly been devastating for her. This previously very friendly and social cat had become extremely defensive. She howled and hissed when any of us got near her cage. She continuously lay huddled and growling in a corner of her litter box. Our hearts broke for her, and it was a huge relief when the neighbor’s son contacted us about taking in his mother’s cat. We met with him and he told us that Purin-chan was 19 years old. He currently had 2 other cats at home, but he felt confident about introducing her. We continued to care for Purin-chan temporarily, while other final arrangements were being made. We advised on saving things from her home, as well as some of her person’s clothing to bring along, in order to give Purin-chan a sense of continuity. Purin-chan improved slowly, day by day. When she eventually went to her new home, she settled in very quickly. We’ve heard that she continues to do well.
Purin-chan’s story could have turned out far differently if I hadn’t been out in the street at a fortunate time. This is a good reminder of the need to plan ahead, so that our animal family members’ future well-being is not simply left up to chance.
Here are some tips for preparing for the possibility of suddenly being unable to provide care for animals in your home yourself, for any reason.
Tip 1: Prearrange initial points of contact
In the event that you or other human family members are unavailable at the time of an emergency, it’s necessary to have designated contacts who can organize immediate animal care. Without someone that emergency responders or hospital personnel can at least reach out to initially, animals in the home will most likely be taken to animal control. In a very stressful time like this, even animals who are normally friendly and social might become defensive and difficult to handle. This kind of temperament can further contribute to potentially tragic outcomes. Confirm with at least 2 people that it’s okay to list them as emergency contacts, in this regard, and give them what’s needed to take whatever next steps are in your plan.
Tip 2: Clearly display animal information in the home
International residents living in Japanese communities might not be well connected with neighbors, who emergency responders generally reach out to. So, it’s even more important to provide clear contact information in Japanese language, on display in an easily visible place in the home. Post a notice paper on the inside of your door, which indicates the number of animals in the home and other helpful information. This can include any health concerns; name of veterinarian; and feeding instructions. Adding pictures might also be helpful. Most importantly, add your designated contacts’ information, so that they can be immediately notified and can respond. Be sure to include a secondary contact, in case the first contact cannot be reached right away. This can aid emergency responders, even in cases of fire or natural disaster.
Tip 3: Carry an animal emergency card in your wallet
Keep an easy to access card in your wallet that indicates you have animal(s) waiting for you at home, and provides information about who to notify. Emergency and hospital staff will often look for personal contact information inside the wallets of patients who arrive incapacitated. Keeping information available about animal family members can mean that your animal(s) will not be left waiting alone and can instead receive prompt attention from your designated contacts.
Tip 4: Prearrange ongoing animal care
Having initial points of contact can be very important in organizing immediate care options. However, any ongoing care plan must be made with prior agreement, clear instructions, and the means for implementation. Ideally, this ongoing care should be with a friend or family member who is familiar with the animal(s).
Keep in mind that there are very few humane sheltering options in Japan, and those in existence are almost always stretched to the limit. Relying on this option alone, in a sudden emergency situation, is not sufficient—particularly without clear prearrangement and provisions. In addition, any designated shelter or organization must be thoroughly researched and visited to ensure that living standards are good, with frequent placements in responsible homes. Overall, the least stressful transition, at such an already difficult time, will be to another home environment.
Tip 5: Keep in touch with someone on a regular basis
It’s essential for those living alone to remain in constant contact with people who will be aware if something has happened, which may have left animals not cared for. Since your animal family member’s lives may eventually depend on a human other than yourself, it is extra important to make these connections now. Find ways to check in with people regularly, and give a trusted person a key to your home, in case of any concern about your well-being.
While it’s important for all pet guardians to plan ahead for emergencies, it can be even more important for those with fewer close ties within their community. Take this chance right now to begin preparing. Find links below to bilingual PDFs for filling in emergency info, and reach out to friends/family who might be willing to be of help. When thinking about the future, and animals in need, this can also be a good time to add an organization to your beneficiaries. If interested in doing this for JCN, we can put you in touch with legal advice in Japan for making these arrangements. While it can be uncomfortable to face the idea of our own eventual passing, attending ahead of time to what happens next can have a significant impact on the lives of others.
Find more information and resources in the links below: