“The power of pets - Marietta Daily Journal” plus 2 more

The power of pets - Marietta Daily Journal
Legal trusts can ensure devoted pets' comfort - Kansas City Star
Make the holidays safe for your pets - Sacramento Bee

The power of pets - Marietta Daily Journal

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 04:29 PM PST

by Jerry Harkavy
Associated Press Writer The Marietta Daily Journal

A key character in Dana Jennings' weekly blog in The New York Times about his treatment for an aggressive prostate cancer was his 12-year-old miniature poodle, Bijou.

In the popular blog, and now in this uplifting and delightful book, "What a Difference a Dog Makes," Jennings recounts how the 23-pound ball of black fur became a healing presence while he endured the physical and mental ravages of cancer treatment and when his younger son, Owen, faced a medical crisis of his own. Bijou would leap on Jennings' sickbed and snuggle beside him, teaching her master to live in the present, not fret over past mistakes and embrace each moment as a miracle.

"Her simple presence brought me pleasure. Whenever she strolled into the room it was as if she were giving me a transfusion of her doggish energy," he writes. When Bijou would stand by the bed, Jennings would reach down to her, "seeking her very essence, the healing powers of dog flesh." He also learned that cancer, like a dog, operates on its own timetable and there is no point in trying to defy it. Consequently, he learned to take his cues from Bijou, eating when hungry, drinking when dry and napping when sleepy.

Jennings, a Times editor and author of books about country music and hardscrabble life in rural New Hampshire where he grew up, is an engaging writer who can laugh while in the grip of the grim realities of cancer. After all, one of the favorite jokes during his recuperation was to tell family members, "You take the dog out. I have cancer."

Interspersed throughout Jennings' narrative are one- or two-sentence philosophical tidbits as delivered by Bijou, who is given the title of Canine Zen Master. "A long walk is more calming than a glass of fine cabernet," according to Bijou, and Jennings serves as proof to that nostrum when his 5-mile neighborhood walks at dusk enhance his convalescence.

The reader follows Jennings through his diagnosis, surgery, radiation and hormone surgery. As a parallel between father and son, Owen has recovered from the autoimmune liver disease that struck him as a high school senior and his father's cancer is in remission.

Old age, however, has taken its toll on Bijou, and watching her health decline offers a lesson on understanding the inevitability of death.

Like a liver cookie or other high-value doggie treat that's meant to be consumed in a single bite, Jennings' book is small in size and can be devoured in one sitting. But it's delicious and packed with goodness. It's sure to be a hit with dog lovers, readers who have faced serious illness and anyone in search of heart-rending evidence of the wisdom and joy that pets can deliver.

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Legal trusts can ensure devoted pets' comfort - Kansas City Star

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 05:08 AM PST

By CLAUDIA BUCK

McClatchy Newspapers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Buzz and Hilda love to ramble around their Elk Grove home, taking naps or chasing after their chew toys by day, curling up in the family room recliner at night.

Nancy King, their devoted owner, doesn't want that routine to change much once she's gone. So King, a librarian for the California Energy Commission, set up a pet trust, which spells out exactly how and where her dachshund duo will be cared for, if they outlive her.

King, 67, wanted to ensure that her pets have "as little disruption as possible" once she can no longer care for them.

With an estimated 71.4 million U.S. households home to at least one bird, fish, reptile, cat, dog or bunny, pets are definitely our beloved companions in life. But what happens to them after we're gone?

Some wind up in animal shelters. Some are put to sleep. Others are farmed out to willing family or friends.

But to ensure there's no uncertainty, it appears more Americans are specifying exactly what happens to Fido and Fluffy when they're gone. That arrangement can be as casual as a friendly agreement with a grown child, a sibling or friend, or as concrete as a legally drafted trust.

"It's definitely a trend, and it's caught on because people understandably value their animals and want to make sure their pets are looked after," said Mary Randolph, publisher of Berkeley, Calif.-based Nolo and author of "Every Dog's Legal Guide: A Must-Have Book for Your Owner."

Some 43 states and the District of Columbia now have statutory pet trust laws on their books, according to attorney Dan Meeks, who runs a Florida website, http://www.pettrustlawblog.com.

He said there's been increased interest in pet trusts over the past couple of years, partly due to several "outlandish" pet-care cases, such as the $12 million trust fund left by real estate mogul Leona Helmsley to care for her Maltese poodle (later reduced to $2 million in court). Or Florida heiress Gail Posner, who died in March, leaving her $8.3 million Miami mansion and more than $3 million for the care of Conchita, her pampered Chihuahua, and two other dogs.

In Elk Grove, librarian King doesn't have anything quite so posh in mind for her beloved pooches. At her death, Buzz, a 15-year-old "senior citizen" and Hilda, an 8-year-old "doxie-wawa" (a dachshund-Chihuahua mix), will be adopted by a volunteer chosen by the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Her pet trust specifies organic food and regular teeth cleaning every eight weeks for both dogs. King, who is setting aside about $150 a month to cover the dogs' food and vet bills, also gave the SPCA her recipe for home-cooked organic pet food.

How to prepare for your pets' lives after you're gone? Here are some choices:

THE EASY ROUTE: The simplest and least costly way is an informal arrangement, asking a trusted friend, neighbor or family member to assume care of your pet should something happen to you.

"Make sure the person is willing and able to take your animal, both financially and (life) circumstances," said Nolo's Randolph.

And since the average dog or cat costs an estimated $1,000 a year in food and vet bills, it's a good idea to provide some financial help, ideally in either a will or a trust. (For more of Randolph's tips, look under "Pet Law" at nolo.com.)

For those who don't have a specific person in mind as their pet caretaker, many animal shelters and organizations like SPCA have "guardian care" programs.

"Some people simply ask that we find a good, permanent adoptive home for their animal after they're gone," said Steve Potter, development director for the Sacramento SPCA. "Some are more specific, like Fluffy doesn't go to a home with children or to a home with other pets."

PET TRUSTS: If you want more assurance and supervision over Fluffy's long-term care, consider a pet trust, which names a trustee to ensure your wishes are carried out.

Sacramento estate planning attorney Mark Drobny has done more than 100 pet trusts of all kinds for clients over the years, including:

The Wilton couple with no kids and seven mules, whose trust names a caretaker to live on their ranch for the mules' natural lives, which can be 40 years or more. Or the reptile lover, who arrived for an attorney visit with a snake draped around her neck and two more in a carrying case. (Her pet trust places a caretaker in her home until the reptiles' demise; the remaining estate will be donated toward an SPCA adoption center for turtles, iguanas and other reptiles.)

A pet trust can cost from $750 to $2,500, depending on whether it's part of a new living trust or added to an existing estate plan.

OTHER OPTIONS: More elaborate choices are available. The TLC for Pets Program at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, for instance, allows dog and cat owners to provide for their pet's lifetime care, including an adoptive home and veterinary care, including surgeries.

That TLC is not cheap. For dogs, the tax-deductible UCD gift is $50,000; for cats, it's $30,000. There's also a $1,500 enrollment fee that covers an initial in-home visit to meet the pet, assess its health and home environment. (The program, launched in 2006, originally included horses, but equines were dropped due to cost issues.)

Celeste Borelli, TLC coordinator, said the price sounds steep but noted that surgical bills and cancer treatments can be costly for aging pets. At the end of the pet's life, any unused funds remain in the TLC program, part of UCD's Center for Companion Animal Health.

Borelli said 12 families with 28 animals are currently enrolled.

Regardless of what route you take, having a pet-care plan eliminates any lingering worries about what will happen once you're gone.

"After I signed the paperwork, I just had so much peace of mind, knowing my guys will be well cared for," said Elk Grove's King, while her short-legged companions jostled for room on her lap. Or as she joked, "If Leona Helmsley could do it, why not me, too?"

BY THE NUMBERS:

From lizards to Labradors, pets prevail in American homes. Here are some recent stats:

-62 percent: U.S. households that own a pet (71.4 million homes)

-39 percent: Households with at least one dog

-33 percent: Households with at least one cat

Types of U.S. pets:

-Birds: 15 million

-Cats: 93.6 million

-Dogs: 77.5 million

-Equines: 13.3 million

-Fish: 183 million

-Reptiles: 13.6 million

-Small animals: 16 million

Avg. annual costs of dogs/cats:

-Food: $229/$203

-Kennel: $273/$255

-Routine vet visits: $225/$203

-Surgical vet visits: $532/$278

-Grooming: $66/$22

-Food treats: $64/$37

-Toys: $40/$19

Source: American Pet Products Association, 2009-10 survey of U.S. pet owners

Make the holidays safe for your pets - Sacramento Bee

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 03:13 AM PST

It's the holiday season, and when it's cold out, nothing is quite as nice as cuddling up next to your family pet. No one is nicer (or warmer) this time of the year.

Nylabone, a dog toy and treat manufacturing company, encourages families to think of their pets this coming holiday season by making sure they stay safe and enjoy the holiday season just as much as their loving, human family. Follow these tips for a safe and enjoyable holiday season with your pet.

-Watch the sweets. While we love the chocolate-covered everything and sweet goodies galore that come with the holidays, our pet friends really can't eat those things. Make sure to keep them out of reach (and out of sniffing zone) so your pet doesn't accidentally find them.

-Low rise. Sometimes we forget that our pet friends are just a tiny bit shorter than us (usually). Be sure to keep low-hanging and tiny ornaments out of reach.

-Faux is the way to go. While holiday shrubbery is a festive way to add natural color to your seasonal decor, make sure they aren't dangerous to your pet's stomach. Some of the holiday plants can even be toxic to pets like dogs and cats. If they are, keep them out of reach or opt for something fake (and equally as chic) instead.

-Day Glow. Lights can glow, but you really don't want your pet eating the pretty lights you have laced about your home. Keep them tucked away where your pet can't chew on them.

-Tidy it up. While the frenzy of gift unwrapping is fun, pets can start to eat the wrapping paper if you leave it out for too long. Throw away all of the tiny pieces of wrapping paper and trim to avoid a pet with a paper-filled tummy.

-Freshen up. Clean water is important to keeping your holiday plants fresh, but if your tree has sap, chemicals or fertilizer and your pet can reach the water, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. Cover up the base with a tree skirt to prevent your pet from stealing a sip.

-Anchors away! Secure large items around your home to walls to make sure your pet doesn't accidentally knock them over.

-Glass Smash. While glass ornaments are classy and beautiful, they can easily break and injure your unassuming (or hungry) pet. Stay with non-breakable ornaments.

-Crowd surfing. Pets can get excited during the holidays, and because of their size, it all just adds up to a bad equation. Keep them in a safe, comfortable room with food and water during big entertaining events.

-Chugga-chugga-chew-chew! Pets often chew on decorations, so avoid the catastrophe and give your pet his or her own chew toy so your holiday decorations will remain chew-free.

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Pets Zone

Monday, November 8, 2010