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advanced directivesJust like us humans, our beloved animal companions deserve to have their needs honored as they near the end of their lives. Creating an advanced directive for your pet can outline your specific preferences and instructions for their care and quality of life when they are approaching death or you become incapacitated or unavailable to make decisions during an emergency. This can include decisions about veterinary procedures, pain management, and end-of-life options. An advanced directive for your animal companion provides peace of mind, ensuring that their final moments are filled with love, compassion, and respect.
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Read Dr. Ken Gorczyca's article "Advanced Directives for Pets: Planning for Your Dog's End-of-Life Journey" in Bay Woof's online magazine HERE.
The following are items that might be included in Advanced Directives for your pet. These items can be discussed with your veterinarian. You can also download the Companion Animal Advanced Care Directives Workbook created by Kathy Wolff and Angela Shook by clicking HERE.
1- Detailed Care Instructions for daily care, dietary needs, exercise routines, grooming preferences and medical conditions.
2- Emergency Contact List such as your veterinarian, back-up veterinarian, emergency clinic, in-home euthanasia house call service.
3- Veterinary Authorization Letter for your designated caregiver to make medical decisions on behalf of your pet and the ability to consent to treatments, surgeries or even euthanasia, if necessary. Make sure to specify any budget limitations or preferences.
4- Temporary Care Instructions for foster care, if needed, boarding facilities, pet sitter options and other contact information.
5- Long-Term Caregiver Designation that clearly states whom you want to assume full responsibility for your pet's care in case of your incapacity or unexpected death. Ensure that this person is willing and able to take on this responsibility. Provide their full contact information.
6- Financial Provisions if you wish to allocate funds for your pet's care and how much. Indicate how your financial matters should be handled. This could involve setting up a trust, specifying a budget for their care or providing instructions on how to access funds for their needs.
7- Special Considerations if your pet has specific needs or requirements such as medications, behavioral issues, preferences for toys or activities and anything else to ensure their comfort and well-being.
8- Review and Update these advanced directives periodically to reflect any changes in their needs or circumstances. Make sure to communicate and changes with the designated caregivers ensuring everyone is informed and prepared.
9- Other Details might include emergency contacts, credit card information, authorized amount for medical care, veterinary contacts, a companion animal death doula, a health care agent and medical records (radiography, diagnostic test results, vaccination records, etc.).
10- Give copies to your family, veterinarian, emergency veterinary clinic, pet sitter, doggy day care, friends, neighbors, your attorney, etc.
11- List of Resuscitation Orders (to be discussed with your veterinarian) such as being placed on a ventilator, being intubated, having CPR performed, placement of a feeding tube, blood transfusions, emergency surgery, certain life-sustaining drugs and authorization of humane euthanasia.
12- If you worry that your pet might outlive you, indicate if you want your pet to be placed with family, a friend, a specific rescue organization or be re-homed through a local shelter. If your pet is suffering from a terminal illness or likely unadoptable for some reason, you may request they be euthanized and included in your own funeral arrangements.
13- Get help and advice from an attorney to confirm the validity of this document.
1- Detailed Care Instructions for daily care, dietary needs, exercise routines, grooming preferences and medical conditions.
2- Emergency Contact List such as your veterinarian, back-up veterinarian, emergency clinic, in-home euthanasia house call service.
3- Veterinary Authorization Letter for your designated caregiver to make medical decisions on behalf of your pet and the ability to consent to treatments, surgeries or even euthanasia, if necessary. Make sure to specify any budget limitations or preferences.
4- Temporary Care Instructions for foster care, if needed, boarding facilities, pet sitter options and other contact information.
5- Long-Term Caregiver Designation that clearly states whom you want to assume full responsibility for your pet's care in case of your incapacity or unexpected death. Ensure that this person is willing and able to take on this responsibility. Provide their full contact information.
6- Financial Provisions if you wish to allocate funds for your pet's care and how much. Indicate how your financial matters should be handled. This could involve setting up a trust, specifying a budget for their care or providing instructions on how to access funds for their needs.
7- Special Considerations if your pet has specific needs or requirements such as medications, behavioral issues, preferences for toys or activities and anything else to ensure their comfort and well-being.
8- Review and Update these advanced directives periodically to reflect any changes in their needs or circumstances. Make sure to communicate and changes with the designated caregivers ensuring everyone is informed and prepared.
9- Other Details might include emergency contacts, credit card information, authorized amount for medical care, veterinary contacts, a companion animal death doula, a health care agent and medical records (radiography, diagnostic test results, vaccination records, etc.).
10- Give copies to your family, veterinarian, emergency veterinary clinic, pet sitter, doggy day care, friends, neighbors, your attorney, etc.
11- List of Resuscitation Orders (to be discussed with your veterinarian) such as being placed on a ventilator, being intubated, having CPR performed, placement of a feeding tube, blood transfusions, emergency surgery, certain life-sustaining drugs and authorization of humane euthanasia.
12- If you worry that your pet might outlive you, indicate if you want your pet to be placed with family, a friend, a specific rescue organization or be re-homed through a local shelter. If your pet is suffering from a terminal illness or likely unadoptable for some reason, you may request they be euthanized and included in your own funeral arrangements.
13- Get help and advice from an attorney to confirm the validity of this document.
