After the death of her former owner with whom she had always lived, Dorothya dog of about 3 years old, was released into the street without anyone knowing who had abandoned her like that.
The mobilization of former neighbors
Alone, left to her own devices, she wandered around her old neighborhood, but the residents gave her as much help as they could. As stated Mady Thielmannthe marketing and communications specialist at the shelter Wake County SPCAto the media Newsweekone of them had tied her to a chain in his garden so that she would not get lost and endanger herself. Thanks to the mobilization of neighbors, who contacted several shelters and animal protection associations, she was able to be transferred to the Wake County SPCA.
First step: adapting to life at the shelter
However, for this dog who had never known anything other than life as a pet dog, having to adapt to her new environment was not easy. “ She was very affectionate, but also very scared, which is completely understandable after what she went through. », explained Mady Thielemann.
The volunteers were concerned about his weight of 32 kg, a little too low for his size, and the state of his coat. Dull and greasy, this appearance was characteristic of stress and its passage outside. Furthermore, although she was safe at the shelter, Dorothy was ” too depressed to eat “.
Second step: go back up the slope
Step Three: Participate in a shelter program
There Wake County SPCA implemented a program called “ trial night », allowing potential adopters to welcome a dog under their roof, for a period of 5 nights. This ensures the compatibility of the family and the animal before any final adoption.
Having had several adoption proposals, Dorothy was able to join this program. “ She is currently participating in a trial stay with a potential adopter, which will end on the 20th. », explained Mady Thielemann, before indicating: “ So far I think it's going very well. »
Highlighting a recurring problem
The story of Dorothy reminds us of a reality that happens far too often: when an owner dies, their pet finds themselves homeless, in the event that its owner has not provided a solution for it, or its family cannot take care of it. Within the SPCAa program entitled “ Peace of Mind » (Peace of Mind), has however been put in place. It allows owners to designate the shelter as “ future caretakers of their pets through estate planning documents », as the media explained Newsweek. This guarantees their safety in the event of loss of their owner. “ This doesn't have to happen. There is an alternative », assured Mady Thielmann.
Woopets info: in France, can I designate a trusted person or organization to take care of my animal after my death?
In Franceit is possible to designate a trusted person to take care of your animal after your death. However, this must be organized legally, often by a will, so that the inheritance takes place correctly. The animal not being “ holder of legal personality, he is not a subject of law but an object of law “. It is therefore necessary to transmit financial resources to a person or an association, in order to entrust them with the responsibility of caring for the animal.
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You can therefore designate a trusted natural person, or a shelter to take in your animal.
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Provide in your will a legacy that will accompany the obligation to care for the animal, as well as possibly a sum of money intended to cover costs (food, care, maintenance).
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Ask the person you trust for permission beforehand.