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I keep a card with my dogs names, breed and age with my insurance card and driver's license. I've been taken off in an ambulance without someone else to take care of them at the time so, someone would know they were here and the authorities would find someone to feed them or they will board them for you. This card comes in handy if there is a fire in your house or were injured in accident and hospitalized.
I keep a card with my dogs names, breed and age with my insurance card and driver's license. I've been taken off in an ambulance without someone else to take care of them at the time so, someone would know they were here and the authorities would find someone to feed them or they will board them for you. This card comes in handy if there is a fire in your house or were injured in accident and hospitalized.
I keep a card with my dogs names, breed and age with my insurance card and driver's license. I've been taken off in an ambulance without someone else to take care of them at the time so, someone would know they were here and the authorities would find someone to feed them or they will board them for you. This card comes in handy if there is a fire in your house or were injured in accident and hospitalized.
Are you sure the authorities would "board" them. I would think they would call animal control and off to a county facility.
We have had to rescue 3 cats and 1 dog (belonging to friends of my sister) all in the last 2 months because something happened to the owners and by the time my sister found out, the animals had been taken to kill shelters.
The owner of the cats is now well and back home, but the chihuahua was driven up to Oklahoma to be with his canine brother after his owner died unexpectedly last week.
We had a hell of a time finding the animals because they had not been taken to the closest shelter.
I have notes posted in my home as well as wallet and car, that my cats are not to be taken out unless the structure is unsafe, and have provided 3 addresses and phone numbers.
I have left my home to my sister.
I was a flight attendant with a major airline for 18 years, and I prefer a solitary life as well, always have, I just wanted to see the world so I did what I had to.
Unless it was with a family member, I always chose to travel alone.
I am on the computer at work and post when it is slow (like right now). I don't have anyone to call.
I have always lived a solitary existence. I was an only child and we had no other family members living near us. We moved all the time and it was just easier and more natural for me to be solitary. I have one good friend but she lives 1,000 miles away. I have one good friend locally but she is 86 and not in very good health and doesn't drive any more. She wouldn't be able to help me if I needed it.
Its very difficult for me to make friends because I have nothing in common with people. There is nothing to talk about. No connection. Nada.
And yes, I am happy with my existence this way, except of course, when something like this comes up.
20yrsinBranson
Our situations are very similar and I've worried about the same problems. My wife and I were both only children and we never had children. She died six years ago so I'm alone. I made my vet my emergency contact because I trust her to get the ball rolling.
I may need to get an animal trust set up. Long term, I believe my best bet is to leave everything to Best Friends and have them come for my animals, then take them back to their sanctuary. I am leaving everything (a decent amount) to them.
I know what you mean about friends. My wife and I never really knew how to make them nor how to socialize. Frankly, we didn't care.
My husband and I own a very modest residence on 26 acres in SW Missouri. In addition, we own a business in Springfield which is 35 miles away....
Brevity snipped.
We are in a similar boat but have little family left. As the grandkids marry and move away and the older folks pass away, every year we have less family nearby. One of our grown kids lives abroad. That's out. Another lives 1000 miles from us and already has 2 cats, all that's allowed where they live. Another lives nearby but she already has 2 cats she doesn't plan to replace when they die. Free of responsibility now that her children are grown, they travel a lot.... you get the picture. So who can take our three kitties?
As for friends. They're not as easy to make in rural areas as I found out. Everyone is busy with their own lives. Everyone has their own problems. At 66 I've outlived more than a few of my true friends. My last close friend moved out of state about 8 years ago and we've lost contact. The rest are more acquaintances than real true friends. None are cat people.
Not to be glib, but here's my thought...make a friend or two.
Seriously.
Is there not one person you already know that you could cultivate a relationship with? Invest a little time in doing that - you'll be glad you did in the long run.
That's easier said than done in many rural and semi-rural areas. Country people tend to stay to themselves, their family and their church. They're not looking to make friends. They have no time.... and friendship has to "happen" or it doesn't work. It's much easier in big cities where you come into contact with large numbers of people every day. People who have a different lifestyle than more rural people.
Quote:
At the end of the day (or end of our lives) all that really matters in this world is the relationships we have and the people who've shared our lives.
This is true. But there are those like my mother who died at age 90 having outlived every friend she had, and living in a large city, she had many many friends. By the time she reached her late 70s most were already deceased.
I know what you mean about friends. My wife and I never really knew how to make them nor how to socialize. Frankly, we didn't care.
We learned you can't really count on friends to be there anyway. As little as 10 years ago I had several good close friends right here on my road, though none were really cat people. Three moved away for various reasons and one close friend from a nearby town, Ann, died of a massive stroke a few years ago. She was like my sister for years, may she R.I.P. My last close friend, Helen, is so sick right now I expect bad news any day. I hope she lives through the holidays. The only true cat person I knew, a breeder of Maine Coons in the Nashville area, died in her late 50s of complications of Lupus. I've met many women since these women either died or moved away, but for some reason friendship just didn't happen. You have to click with someone and there have been no clicks in these past years. Now I do have some "friends," but they're actually more acquaintances than anything.
I'm very saddened by this thread. What a predicament. I feel fortunate to live in a neighborhood with houses are nearby. We're all of different ages and family stuctures, yet we watch out for each other and notice when something is wrong. There's no doubt in my mind that any of my neighbors would come get our dogs, long before it occurred to our relatives.
I think almost everyone ends up with this problem to some extent as life goes on. I'm only in my 40s but I've already had a few close friends and a sister die.
20yrsinBranson, of all the suggestions, I like the idea of making arrangements with your vet the best. That's truly someone who will ensure that your pets are taken care of. I'm sure the animal shelter would also love to rehome your pets in exchange for your gifting your property to their nonprofit. Maybe nobody read your email. Give it time. Write them a snail mail letter. I'd only make arrangements with lawyer to handle the estate, not find care for the cats.
As for someone not knowing if something happened to you, I did a google and found that there are services you can contract that make regular phone calls. If a certain number of calls aren't answered, the company notifies whomever you have listed to be notified.
If you google "elderly check in calls" you'll find many different services.
These call services appear to cost between $15 to $25 per month. And you don't need to be elderly to use these services.
The second, automated service, sounds like a better fit for you because you just need regular check in calls, not a live person for telephone companionship.
Another possibility would be Life Alert or similar. You have a device in your home, with a button that you press daily. If you miss doing it, they try to contact you and if there's no response they call emergency numbers you've provided.
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