We All Need to Prepare. |
What Breed or Breeds do you have past or present? Welsh Terrier
Are you an Active breeder? Yes
What areas of competition interest you? Conformation, Obedience, Agility, Other? Conformation
How long have you been active in the sport? 20 years
Tell us about your most memorable moment in our sport? Winning Best in Show at Montgomery County Kennel Club (world’s largest terrier show)
What is it that attracted you to the TVKC? How long have you been a member? I was active in my kennel club in SC. I actively looked for a kennel club in this area when I moved to TN in 2002. 18 years
What do you like most about being a member of TVKC? Camaraderie with other dog fanciers
Do you think TVKC meets your needs as a member? If not what areas would you like to see improvements in? Yes
How do your dogs impact your life? Dogs are one of the surely one of the most important parts of my life. The offer untold joy and purpose and are always glad to greet me with never a cross word. I have traveled the world and met so many life long friends thru my hobby and passion.
Are you an Active breeder? Yes
What areas of competition interest you? Conformation, Obedience, Agility, Other? Conformation
How long have you been active in the sport? 20 years
Tell us about your most memorable moment in our sport? Winning Best in Show at Montgomery County Kennel Club (world’s largest terrier show)
What is it that attracted you to the TVKC? How long have you been a member? I was active in my kennel club in SC. I actively looked for a kennel club in this area when I moved to TN in 2002. 18 years
What do you like most about being a member of TVKC? Camaraderie with other dog fanciers
Do you think TVKC meets your needs as a member? If not what areas would you like to see improvements in? Yes
How do your dogs impact your life? Dogs are one of the surely one of the most important parts of my life. The offer untold joy and purpose and are always glad to greet me with never a cross word. I have traveled the world and met so many life long friends thru my hobby and passion.
We want to thank Marci Cook, DVM, and MBTA AKC Delegate, for sharing this information from the
AKC Delegates Google group. It's valuable information that we should all consider.
This information comes from Matthew Townsend, Proud AKC Breeder of Merit, Sforzando
Leonbergers; Delegate, Carolina Working Group Association; Member, Delegate Dog Show Rules
Committee; President, Mid-Atlantic Leonberger Club of VA and Tarheel Leonberger Club. Edited for
punctuation and clarity.
This past week, I lost a good friend i n Leonbergers who died suddenly without immediate family to
care for her dogs. Getting her pets out of the shelter was both urgent and difficult. Many years ago,
I faced something similar when a puppy buyer of mine died unexpectedly of a coronary. There was
no documentation in place. I was able to persuade the shelter t o release the Leonberger t o me and,
thankfully, his family later approved from across the country - but not before a deputy became quite
cross with me.
These experiences remind me o f something w e often discuss in principle, but too rarely prepare for in
practice:
We do talk about including our dogs in estate planning. Margaret DiCorleto shared
some wonderful resources i n that regard.
We rarely talk about what happens when we are alive but suddenly disabled, or when
death comes without family close at hand.
The reality is that we are much more likely to be temporarily or permanently disabled than to die
quickly -and in either case, our dogs could be left i n a tough spot i f we haven't made simple plans.
With that in mind, I want t o share two straightforward, practical tools I've drafted
• Limited Power o f Attorney for Pet Care - allows a trusted person t o step i n i f you are
alive but unable to act (illness, accident, hospitalization, etc.), including explicit authority to retrieve
your dogs from home or shelter and authorize veterinary care.
• Pet Care Authorization -allows a trusted person to immediately remove and care for
your dogs in the event o f your death o r unavailability (not legally bulletproof, but very likely t o work).
Both are short, plain-language documents, notarization-ready, and designed to be recognized and
honored b y veterinarians, shelters, or officials. They are not meant to replace estate planning - but
to cover the vulnerable "gap" moments when pets are most a t risk and can be stressed or lost.
I encourage you to download, review, and adapt these documents for your own situation, and to
share them with others in your clubs. None o f us likes t o think about being incapacitated or gone, but
leaving our dogs without a plan leaves too much t o chance.
Attached:
Limited Power of Attorney for Pet Care
•
Pet Care Authorization
28
Limited Power of Attorney for Pet Care
1, [Full Legal Name], living at [Full Address], am the legal owner of the pets) listed below:
Name: [Pet's Name] Species/Breed: [Dog, Cat, etc.] Description: [Sex, color, markings] Microchip #:
[Insert i f applicable] (Repeat as needed for each pet.)
Appointment o f Agent
I appoint [Trusted Person's Full Legal Name], who lives at [Agent's Address], a s my Agent (Attorney-
in-Fact).
Grant o f Authority
If I am alive but unable to act for myself due to illness, injury, or other incapacity, and reasonable
efforts to contact me have failed, m y Agent has authority to:
Take custody o f my pets) from my home, o r from any shelter, boarding facility, or veterinary hospital.
My Agent is authorized to enter my home, using keys o r other lawful means I have provided, for the
limited purpose of caring for or removing my pets). This authority does not extend to any other use
of my property. 2 . Authorize routine and emergency veterinary treatment, including euthanasia i f a
licensed veterinarian recommends i t due to terminal illness or severe suffering. 3. Arrange boarding,
fostering, or re-homing i f needed. 4. Use any funds I have provided or designated for pet care (cash,
accounts, or payment methods) to pay for necessary expenses. 5 . Do anything reasonably necessary
t o provide for my pets)' health, safety, and welfare.
This power applies only to matters related to the care of my pets). My Agent has no authority over
any other part o f my personal, medical, or financial life.
Effective Date and Duration
This Limited Power of Attorney becomes effective when I cannot act for myself and cannot be reached
despite reasonable effort to contact me, and remains in effect until I regain the ability to act on my
own, or I revoke i t in writing by delivering written notice t o m y Agent and any third party relying on
this document).
Reliance on This Document
All shelters, veterinarians, boarding facilities, and other third parties may rely o n this document a s
proof of my Agent's authority.
Signed this day of
_ 20_
[Your Signature] [Printed Name]
Notary Section
State of County o f
Subscribed and sworn before me on this day of
_ 20
Notary Public Signature
My commission expires:
29
Pet Care Authorization
1, [Full Legal Name], residing a t [Full Address], a m the owner o f the following pets):
Name: [Pet's Name] Species/Breed: [Dog, Cat, etc.] Sex/Description: [Male/Female, color, markings]
Microchip#: [Insert if applicable] (Repeat lines above for each pet, i f more than one.)
In the event of my incapacity, disappearance, death, or i f I am otherwise unavailable o r out of
communication, | authorize [Trusted Caretaker's Full Legal Name], residing at [Caretaker's Address],
to immediately take custody of my pets listed above, and any other pets I may own at the time of my
incapacity, disappearance, death, or unavailability. This authorization includes: - Removing my pets)
from any boarding facility, shelter, veterinary hospital, or similar location. - Making all necessary care
and placement decisions. - Providing a permanent home, or if unable, arranging a suitable home with
trusted adopters. I ask that any shelter, veterinarian, or caretaker honor this designation without delay.
This provision is also contained in my Last Will and Testament s o that my designated caretaker has
authority both immediately and through formal estate proceedings.
Signed this _day o f
_, 20
[Your Signature] [Printed Name]
Notary Section
State o f County of
Subscribed and sworn before me on this _
_ day of
Notary Public Signature
My commission expires:
, 20
30
AKC Delegates Google group. It's valuable information that we should all consider.
This information comes from Matthew Townsend, Proud AKC Breeder of Merit, Sforzando
Leonbergers; Delegate, Carolina Working Group Association; Member, Delegate Dog Show Rules
Committee; President, Mid-Atlantic Leonberger Club of VA and Tarheel Leonberger Club. Edited for
punctuation and clarity.
This past week, I lost a good friend i n Leonbergers who died suddenly without immediate family to
care for her dogs. Getting her pets out of the shelter was both urgent and difficult. Many years ago,
I faced something similar when a puppy buyer of mine died unexpectedly of a coronary. There was
no documentation in place. I was able to persuade the shelter t o release the Leonberger t o me and,
thankfully, his family later approved from across the country - but not before a deputy became quite
cross with me.
These experiences remind me o f something w e often discuss in principle, but too rarely prepare for in
practice:
We do talk about including our dogs in estate planning. Margaret DiCorleto shared
some wonderful resources i n that regard.
We rarely talk about what happens when we are alive but suddenly disabled, or when
death comes without family close at hand.
The reality is that we are much more likely to be temporarily or permanently disabled than to die
quickly -and in either case, our dogs could be left i n a tough spot i f we haven't made simple plans.
With that in mind, I want t o share two straightforward, practical tools I've drafted
• Limited Power o f Attorney for Pet Care - allows a trusted person t o step i n i f you are
alive but unable to act (illness, accident, hospitalization, etc.), including explicit authority to retrieve
your dogs from home or shelter and authorize veterinary care.
• Pet Care Authorization -allows a trusted person to immediately remove and care for
your dogs in the event o f your death o r unavailability (not legally bulletproof, but very likely t o work).
Both are short, plain-language documents, notarization-ready, and designed to be recognized and
honored b y veterinarians, shelters, or officials. They are not meant to replace estate planning - but
to cover the vulnerable "gap" moments when pets are most a t risk and can be stressed or lost.
I encourage you to download, review, and adapt these documents for your own situation, and to
share them with others in your clubs. None o f us likes t o think about being incapacitated or gone, but
leaving our dogs without a plan leaves too much t o chance.
Attached:
Limited Power of Attorney for Pet Care
•
Pet Care Authorization
28
Limited Power of Attorney for Pet Care
1, [Full Legal Name], living at [Full Address], am the legal owner of the pets) listed below:
Name: [Pet's Name] Species/Breed: [Dog, Cat, etc.] Description: [Sex, color, markings] Microchip #:
[Insert i f applicable] (Repeat as needed for each pet.)
Appointment o f Agent
I appoint [Trusted Person's Full Legal Name], who lives at [Agent's Address], a s my Agent (Attorney-
in-Fact).
Grant o f Authority
If I am alive but unable to act for myself due to illness, injury, or other incapacity, and reasonable
efforts to contact me have failed, m y Agent has authority to:
Take custody o f my pets) from my home, o r from any shelter, boarding facility, or veterinary hospital.
My Agent is authorized to enter my home, using keys o r other lawful means I have provided, for the
limited purpose of caring for or removing my pets). This authority does not extend to any other use
of my property. 2 . Authorize routine and emergency veterinary treatment, including euthanasia i f a
licensed veterinarian recommends i t due to terminal illness or severe suffering. 3. Arrange boarding,
fostering, or re-homing i f needed. 4. Use any funds I have provided or designated for pet care (cash,
accounts, or payment methods) to pay for necessary expenses. 5 . Do anything reasonably necessary
t o provide for my pets)' health, safety, and welfare.
This power applies only to matters related to the care of my pets). My Agent has no authority over
any other part o f my personal, medical, or financial life.
Effective Date and Duration
This Limited Power of Attorney becomes effective when I cannot act for myself and cannot be reached
despite reasonable effort to contact me, and remains in effect until I regain the ability to act on my
own, or I revoke i t in writing by delivering written notice t o m y Agent and any third party relying on
this document).
Reliance on This Document
All shelters, veterinarians, boarding facilities, and other third parties may rely o n this document a s
proof of my Agent's authority.
Signed this day of
_ 20_
[Your Signature] [Printed Name]
Notary Section
State of County o f
Subscribed and sworn before me on this day of
_ 20
Notary Public Signature
My commission expires:
29
Pet Care Authorization
1, [Full Legal Name], residing a t [Full Address], a m the owner o f the following pets):
Name: [Pet's Name] Species/Breed: [Dog, Cat, etc.] Sex/Description: [Male/Female, color, markings]
Microchip#: [Insert if applicable] (Repeat lines above for each pet, i f more than one.)
In the event of my incapacity, disappearance, death, or i f I am otherwise unavailable o r out of
communication, | authorize [Trusted Caretaker's Full Legal Name], residing at [Caretaker's Address],
to immediately take custody of my pets listed above, and any other pets I may own at the time of my
incapacity, disappearance, death, or unavailability. This authorization includes: - Removing my pets)
from any boarding facility, shelter, veterinary hospital, or similar location. - Making all necessary care
and placement decisions. - Providing a permanent home, or if unable, arranging a suitable home with
trusted adopters. I ask that any shelter, veterinarian, or caretaker honor this designation without delay.
This provision is also contained in my Last Will and Testament s o that my designated caretaker has
authority both immediately and through formal estate proceedings.
Signed this _day o f
_, 20
[Your Signature] [Printed Name]
Notary Section
State o f County of
Subscribed and sworn before me on this _
_ day of
Notary Public Signature
My commission expires:
, 20
30