AKC Disaster Relief Trailer

Megan Trierweiler
Programs Manager
AKC Reunite | 919-816-3642
www.akcreunite.org

Gwen Kirman and Penny Duffee attended the presentation on behalf of PSSC & SSCA.

They were accompanied by Zorro and Elin.

Update: 03/18/2024

Will County Emergency Management,

May 8th is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day, and we’d like to encourage you to participate in the observation of this day. This is a great opportunity to showcase the importance of being prepared for the unexpected. At this time of year, natural disasters increase, and families are either forced to leave their homes immediately or shelter in place. Emergencies can happen at any time, so it is crucial that people have a plan for themselves as well as their beloved pets.

Important reminders for pet owners include having their pet’s information on hand as well as a portable emergency supply kit. We encourage pet owners to have our Pet Emergency Guide in their supply kit, www.akcreunite.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/AKC-Reunite-Pet-Emergency-Guide.pdf.

It is also imperative that not only are pets microchipped but also enrolled in a national 24/7 recovery service like AKC Reunite. If a pet is already microchipped and enrolled it’s worth double checking that the information listed with that pet is up to date. Enrolled microchips increase the chance of finding pets post-disaster and having them returned home safely.

As you own an AKC Pet Disaster Relief Trailer, we encourage you to help bring awareness on this day whether that be with social media or news posts, training events, microchipping clinics, check the chip clinics, or email blasts. It’s a great opportunity to remind the community how well you, their emergency management first responders, are prepared.

Hopefully, none of us will experience a disaster that will require extreme measures but it always better to be safe than sorry. Taking the small steps now to ensure pet safety and security in a moment of crisis can make a world of difference.

Please let us know if you plan to participate in any way on this day. If there is anything you’d need from AKC Reunite to help kick off an event for this day, please let me know that as well. I’d love to help!

Some information you may want to share with community:

https://www.akcreunite.org/disasterpreparedness/
https://www.akcreunite.org/importance/
https://www.akcreunite.org/whyregister/

*Sponsoring Clubs, we’d also love for you get involved with your community and show your support and gracious involvement that helped bring in the AKC Pet Disaster Relief Trailer.

Thank you clubs for sponsoring!

Siberian Husky Club of Greater Chicago
Kishwaukee Kennel Club
English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Club of Illinois
Golden Retriever Club of Illinois
Standard Schnauzer Club of America
Prairieland Standard Schnauzer Club of Central Illinois
English Springer Spaniel Foundation
English Cocker Spaniel Club of America
Alaskan Malamute Club of America

Providing for Your Pet’s Future Without You

As a responsible pet owner, you provide your pet(s) with food and water, shelter, veterinary care, and much love. But what happens to your pet(s) if you unexpectedly become ill or incapacitated or die? It is critical for you to plan so your pet(s) is/are not overlooked. The importance of arrangements for care giving for the unexpected cannot be overemphasized.

Find at least two responsible friends or relatives who agree to serve as temporary emergency caregivers in the event something unexpected happens to you. Provide them with keys to your home; feeding and care instructions; the name of your veterinarian; and information about the permanent care provisions you have made for your pet(s).

If you are incapacitated or die, make sure your wishes for your pet(s) are fulfilled by making formal arrangements that specifically cover the care of your animals. It’s not enough that maybe some time ago a friend or relative verbally promised to take in your pet(s) or even that you’ve decided to leave money for that purpose. Work with an attorney to draw up a special will, trust, or other document to provide for the care and ownership of your pet(s) as well as the money necessary for their care.

If you have multiple pets, decide whether you want your pets to go to one person or whether different pets go to different people. When selecting caregivers, consider partners, adult children, parents, brothers, sisters, and friends who have met your pet(s) and have successfully cared for pets themselves. Also name alternate caregivers in case your first choice becomes unable or unwilling to take your pet(s). Be sure to discuss your expectations with potential caregivers so they understand the large responsibility of caring for your pet(s). Remember, the new owner will have full discretion over the animal’s care—including veterinary treatment and euthanasia—so make sure you choose a person you trust implicitly and who will do what is in the best interests of your pet(s).

Remember to stay in touch with the designated caregivers and alternates. Over time, people’s circumstances and priorities change, and you want to make sure that the arrangements you have made continue to hold from the designated caregivers’ vantage points.

You should consider giving directions to the executor or personal representative of your will for the temporary care of your pet(s) as well as for the costs for looking for a new home and transporting the pet(s) to it. The will should also grant broad discretion to your executor in making decisions about your pet(s) and in expending estate funds on the pet(s’)’s behalf. Sample language for this approach is:

{Article Number} A. As a matter of high priority and importance, I direct my Personal Representative to place any and all animals I may own at the time of my death with another individual or family (that is, in a private, noninstitutionalized setting) where such animals will be cared for in a manner that any responsible, devoted pet owner would afford to his or her pets. Prior to initiating such efforts to place my animals, I direct my Personal Representative to consult ______________________, D.V.M. (currently at the _______________________ Hospital), or, in the event of Dr. _____________’s unavailability, a veterinarian chosen by my Personal Representative, to ensure that each animal is in generally good health and is not suffering physically. In addition, I direct my Personal Representative to provide any needed, reasonable veterinary care that my animal(s) may need at that time to restore the animal(s) to generally good health and to alleviate suffering, if possible. Any animal(s) not in generally good health or who is so suffering—and whose care is beyond the capabilities of veterinary medicine, reasonably employed, to restore to generally good health or to alleviate suffering—shall be euthanized, cremated, and the ashes disposed of at the discretion of my Personal Representative. Any expenses incurred for the care (including the costs of veterinary services), placement, or transportation of my animals, or to otherwise effect the purposes of this Article ___________ up to the time of placement, shall be charged against the principal of my residuary estate. Decisions my Personal Representative makes under this Article ____________________—for example, with respect to the veterinary care to be afforded to my animal(s) and the costs of such care—shall be final. My intention is that my Personal Representative have the broadest possible discretion to carry out the purposes of this paragraph.

Although your lawyer will help you decide what type of document best suits your needs, you should be aware of some drawbacks to wills. For example, a will takes effect only upon your death, and it will not be probated and formally recognized by a court for days or even weeks later. What’s more, if legal disputes arise, the final settlement of your property may be prolonged. Even determining the rightful new owner of your pet(s0 can get delayed. In other words, it may take a long time before your instructions regarding your pet(s’)’s long-term care can be carried out.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should not include a provision in your will that provides for your pets. It just means that you should explore creating additional documents that compensate for the will’s limitations.

Before making formal arrangements to provide for the long-term care of your pet(s), seek help from professionals who can guide you in preparing legal documents that can protect your interests and those of your pe(s)t. However, you must keep in mind the critical importance of making advance personal arrangements to ensure that your pet(s) is/are cared for immediately if you die or become incapacitated.

Reference: Providing for Your Pet’s Future Without You

https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/bringing-a-dog-home/providing-pets-future/

AKC Disaster Relief Trailer Project

PSSC’s Contribution to the AKC Disaster Relief Trailer

On September 20 the Will County Emergency Management Agency was presented with an AKC Reunite Pet Disaster Relief trailer.

This is the first trailer in the state of Illinois.

The 10 donor organizations included Prairieland Standard Schnauzer Club of Central Illinois and the Standard Schnauzer Club of America. The clubs raised $12,000 and then AKC Reunite matched the donations with a $10,000 grant to cover the total $22,000 cost of the trailer.

Emergency personnel can put together either a co-location shelter (in conjunction with a shelter for people) or a separate lost-and-found shelter. The trailer can provide a safe temporary home for at least 65 pets during an emergency.

Download AKC-Reunite-Pet-Emergency-Guide.pdf (PDF)

AKC Licensed

Prairieland Standard Schnauzer Club