But a new addition to the property makes it one of only a handful of shelters across the country offering long-term care for pets whose owners can no longer look after them due to sickness, aging or death.
Paws4ever celebrated the official launch of its Legacy Care program Saturday. The program allows pets to receive the care they need if something happens to their owners — without being turned over to a county shelter or a reluctant friend or family member. Twelve pets have already been signed up.
Paws4ever Executive Director Laura Griest said the staff at the shelter developed the program after they realized there was a need in the community that Paws4ever could fill.
“Imagine if you have your dogs or cats, and there’s no one in your family or network of friends who’s able to take your pet if something happens to you,” Griest said.
“There are people who want to plan ahead, who really should plan ahead, in the same way a person actually plans for the care of their kids.”
Once their owners can no longer care for them, pets enrolled in the program will temporarily live in the shelter’s Legacy Care Residence, a fully furnished apartment, until they are placed in the home of a Legacy Care Provider, who will care for them until they are adopted.
If approved through an application process, the owner must pay a $1,000 upfront membership fee for each pet to join and a $10,000 endowment for the animal’s long-term care. The endowment can be paid upfront through a life insurance policy or in a provision in the owner’s will.
Although the cost is expensive, Griest said it is much less than the endowments for other shelters with similar programs in the country, which range from $25,000 to $100,000.
