LOS GATOS, Calif. (April 21, 2004) - It is estimated that 500,000 pets are euthanized at shelters and veterinary offices each year as a result of their owners predeceasing them. In response to this crisis, PetGuardian was founded to provide an innovative new service that offers comprehensive Pet Trust Plans. The PetGuardian Pet Trust Program provides a legitimate solution to the concern that pets can end up in animal shelters if their owners are no longer able to care for them.
PetGuardian Pet Trust Plans allow people to establish a plan to make sure their beloved pets will continue to receive the love and care essential to their well-being.
"By encouraging people to prepare for the possibility that they could predecease their pets and by providing them with the affordable tools to do so, we hope to significantly reduce the number of pets unnecessarily euthanized," states Amy Shever, PetGuardian's founder and a 20-year animal welfare volunteer. A PetGuardian Pet Trust Plan is a simple and affordable service that includes a comprehensive pet trust document, a cost analysis to determine what funds should be set aside for the pet's care, complete pet care instructions, and emergency ID cards for owners to post at home and carry in their wallets in case of an emergency.
"Our association with Best Friends Animal Society truly makes this service unique and effective," adds Shever. While PetGuardian strongly encourages pet owners to carefully select caregivers for their pet trust, they have worked closely with Best Friends to create the Best Friends Backup Service.
With this service, Best Friends Animal Society will locate a "backup caregiver" to ensure that pets are placed in a good home, not a cage at a shelter, should the caregivers designated in the pet trust be unable to care for the pet.
Best Friends Animal Society is working with shelters and rescue groups nationwide to bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets. Best Friends operates the nation's largest animal sanctuary for homeless animals; provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs; and publishes Best Friends, the nation's largest general-interest animal magazine.
"The PetGuardian program will provide you peace of mind, and a guarantee of lifelong care for your pets," says Michael Mountain, President of Best Friends Animal Society. "And we're glad to be playing a part in it ourselves. It's become a component in our nationwide campaign to ensure that every pet that's ever been born can be guaranteed a good home with a loving family for life!" "PetGuardian supports Best Friends Animal Society's No More Homeless Pets initiative, and a portion of all revenue from the sale of our plans is distributed to animal welfare organizations to assist with their efforts to care for pets in need," notes Shever. PetGuardian has also set up a fund with Best Friends to assist when pets require more care than has been provided in their PetGuardian Pet Trust to make the funds available. If funds are left over in a pet's trust fund when that pet passes away, the balance can be used for the benefit of under-funded pet trusts as well as for the work of Best Friends Animal Society or any other charity designated in the plan.
Unlike expensive pet trusts that are set up by estate-planning attorneys, PetGuardian Pet Trust Plans provide pet trust documents designed to ensure that companion animals will continue to be cared for, in the manner in which they are accustomed. PetGuardian's service costs only $500 and a portion of the revenues are distributed to pet welfare organizations. In addition, changes can easily be made to the PetGuardian Pet Trust Plan at any time for no additional charge. Most estate-planning attorneys charge at least $1,000 to set up a plan, and hundreds more for any amendments.
PetGuardian Pet Trust Plans have been created with the help of legal experts, estate planners, animal care professionals, and Best Friends Animal Society. PetGuardian incorporates language used in living trust documents, allowing for immediate provisions for pets if their owner dies or becomes too ill to care for them.
"For those who do not have a potential caregiver to leave their pet to, there are other options such as lifetime care programs," concludes Shever. "Our website (www.petguardian.com) is a comprehensive resource for animal lovers, providing valuable information to help them provide care, support, and love for their animal companions now and in the future."
For more information about PetGuardian, visit www.petguardian.com, call 888-843-4040 (toll-free) or send an e-mail to info@petguardian.com. For more information about Best Friends Animal Society, visit www.bestfriends.org or call 435-644-2001.
PetGuardian Pet Trust Plans allow people to establish a plan to make sure their beloved pets will continue to receive the love and care essential to their well-being.
"By encouraging people to prepare for the possibility that they could predecease their pets and by providing them with the affordable tools to do so, we hope to significantly reduce the number of pets unnecessarily euthanized," states Amy Shever, PetGuardian's founder and a 20-year animal welfare volunteer. A PetGuardian Pet Trust Plan is a simple and affordable service that includes a comprehensive pet trust document, a cost analysis to determine what funds should be set aside for the pet's care, complete pet care instructions, and emergency ID cards for owners to post at home and carry in their wallets in case of an emergency.
"Our association with Best Friends Animal Society truly makes this service unique and effective," adds Shever. While PetGuardian strongly encourages pet owners to carefully select caregivers for their pet trust, they have worked closely with Best Friends to create the Best Friends Backup Service.
With this service, Best Friends Animal Society will locate a "backup caregiver" to ensure that pets are placed in a good home, not a cage at a shelter, should the caregivers designated in the pet trust be unable to care for the pet.
Best Friends Animal Society is working with shelters and rescue groups nationwide to bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets. Best Friends operates the nation's largest animal sanctuary for homeless animals; provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs; and publishes Best Friends, the nation's largest general-interest animal magazine.
"The PetGuardian program will provide you peace of mind, and a guarantee of lifelong care for your pets," says Michael Mountain, President of Best Friends Animal Society. "And we're glad to be playing a part in it ourselves. It's become a component in our nationwide campaign to ensure that every pet that's ever been born can be guaranteed a good home with a loving family for life!" "PetGuardian supports Best Friends Animal Society's No More Homeless Pets initiative, and a portion of all revenue from the sale of our plans is distributed to animal welfare organizations to assist with their efforts to care for pets in need," notes Shever. PetGuardian has also set up a fund with Best Friends to assist when pets require more care than has been provided in their PetGuardian Pet Trust to make the funds available. If funds are left over in a pet's trust fund when that pet passes away, the balance can be used for the benefit of under-funded pet trusts as well as for the work of Best Friends Animal Society or any other charity designated in the plan.
Unlike expensive pet trusts that are set up by estate-planning attorneys, PetGuardian Pet Trust Plans provide pet trust documents designed to ensure that companion animals will continue to be cared for, in the manner in which they are accustomed. PetGuardian's service costs only $500 and a portion of the revenues are distributed to pet welfare organizations. In addition, changes can easily be made to the PetGuardian Pet Trust Plan at any time for no additional charge. Most estate-planning attorneys charge at least $1,000 to set up a plan, and hundreds more for any amendments.
PetGuardian Pet Trust Plans have been created with the help of legal experts, estate planners, animal care professionals, and Best Friends Animal Society. PetGuardian incorporates language used in living trust documents, allowing for immediate provisions for pets if their owner dies or becomes too ill to care for them.
"For those who do not have a potential caregiver to leave their pet to, there are other options such as lifetime care programs," concludes Shever. "Our website (www.petguardian.com) is a comprehensive resource for animal lovers, providing valuable information to help them provide care, support, and love for their animal companions now and in the future."
For more information about PetGuardian, visit www.petguardian.com, call 888-843-4040 (toll-free) or send an e-mail to info@petguardian.com. For more information about Best Friends Animal Society, visit www.bestfriends.org or call 435-644-2001.