Who will look after your dogs when you're gone?

Yesterday it was revealed that Alexander McQueen, the late British fashion designer, left £50,000 of his reported £16 million estate to his dogs to be looked after in his Will.

The money that McQueen left behind for his beloved dogs is incredibly generous and kind; sadly this it is not something that most people are able to do. Many people worry about what would happen if their dog were to outlive them, which is why Dogs Trust set up the Canine Care Card scheme. It is a fantastic free service that gives you peace of mind, knowing that Dogs Trust will care for your dogs if you pass away before they do.

What would happen if your dog came to Dogs Trust?

If you pass away and have registered as a Canine Care Card holder, we will arrange to bring your dog or dogs to our nearest Rehoming Centre. Once there, they will be examined by our vet and cared for by our dedicated, trained staff.

We will then try to find your dog or dogs new owners whose lifestyle and experience match their needs. Any new owners would be visited at their home and given a thorough briefing in caring for your dog.

How to join the Canine Care Card scheme?

If you decide to become a Canine Care Cardholder, we will issue you with a handy wallet-sized card. It acts in a similar way to an organ donor card and notifies people of your wishes for your dogs, should anything happen to you.

We also strongly recommend that you mention the care of your dog in your Will. That way, there can be no confusion about your wishes. If this is something you wish to do, we suggest that you include the following phrase in your Will: "It is also my wish that Dogs Trust care for or rehome any dogs that I may own at the time of my death".

Find out more

If you would like further information about how Dogs Trust can arrange to take care of your dog in the event of your death, please contact our Supporter Relations team on 020 7837 0006 or contact us by e-mail.

Alternatively, you can download our registration form and simply follow these steps:

1. Complete the registration form found in the link above and return it to us by Freepost so that we can send you your free Canine Care Card.
   


2. Fill in the Canine Care Card when it arrives. It's a wallet size card so you can carry it with you, as you would an organ donor card.
   


3. Leave instructions in your Will confirming that you would like Dogs Trust to look after your dog(s). This is essential to ensure that there will be no confusion about your wishes. The suggested wording is, "It is also my wish that Dogs Trust care for and rehome any dogs I may own at the time of my death."

Whether it’s their likes and dislikes, special dietary requirement or details of medication, please include as much important information as you can give us to help your dog. Once registered, you need never worry about the future of your four-legged friend again.

Give more dogs a brighter future...

McQueen also generously left approximately £400,000 to UK animal welfare charities. Many people who join the Canine Care Card scheme also decide to leave us a gift in their Will, as a way of saying thank you for securing the future of their canine companion. Legacies are crucial to Dogs Trust as they account for over a third of our income and will help to save the lives of countless dogs in the future. You can find out more about legacies on our website.

Canine Care Card brings sparky couple into centre

Many dog owners worry about where their canine companion would end up if the worse were to happen to them. Dogs Trust created the Canine Care Card for this very reason. The free service ensures peace of mind that if you were to pass away first, your dog would be cared for at one of our 17 rehoming centres around the UK and given the chance to find a new loving home.

We’ve just had two great friends, Rocket and Sparkle come into our Canterbury centre. Their owner had registered for the Canine Care Card and this meant we were on hand to care for them.

Rocket, a six year old male Labrador, and Sparkle, a four year old female Cavalier, are beautiful dogs that came in together after their owner sadly passed away and are looking to be rehomed as a pair.

They are looking for a home together as they’ve always been a pair and would like to be the only pets in the home so they can get all the fuss they deserve. They’ve had a troublesome few months so are looking for a quiet home where they won’t be left for longer than 3 hours so they can rebuild their confidence in a new environment. Any children in the home should be 14 years plus as they’ve been used to older, calmer owners in the past.

The youngest of the doggy duo, Sparkle loves being out and about and often gets into mischief! Rocket, the older gentleman prefers a calmer approach and loves to plod through the woods. Rocket is quite nervous of other dogs but once settled this can be worked on and managed. Both dogs would benefit from some basic training to keep their brains active.

Rocket is incredibly soppy and loves a calm walk in any weather. He enjoys treats and gets excited whenever he sees one in your hand. He is so affectionate and tries getting as much of himself on your lap as possible. Rocket is a little shy of new people but when he knows them, he greets them excitedly.

Sparkle is a real character. Her carers say she can be as mad as a hatter, but loves attention and a cuddle on your lap. Sparkle loves her walks and the minute you pick up her lead, she gets incredibly excited and is out of the door quicker than you could imagine! Sparkle is affectionate, loyal and adores Rocket.

If you think you could offer this lovely pair a home together, please contact our Canterbury Rehoming Centre on 01227 792 505 or visit them at: Radfall Road, Chestfield, Nr Whitstable, Kent, CT5 3ER.

For more information about the Canine Care Card please visit our website.

The Canine Care Card service is currently only available for residents of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands & the Isle of Man.

VIDEO: Bentley the Canine Care Card Dog's Story

Bentley is a beautiful Collie x German Shepherd cross (we think) who was entrusted to our care through the Canine Care Card scheme, which means we promise to care for and rehome your dog in the event of your death.

He was a bit of a special case though, as you'll see by watching the video below.

And in case you're wondering, Bentley has now found an owner and will be heading to his new home soon! Update 24/04: Bentley has now gone home!

VIDEO: Bentley the Canine Care Card Dog's Story from Dogs Trust on Vimeo.

There are lots of other dogs who'd also like their forever homes, like lovely lady Lurcher Felicity and bouncy Boxer cross Shadey, both in Kenilworth.

For dogs needing homes across the UK, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming

Dog(s) of the Week: Bereaved Lurcher Pups @ Dogs Trust Evesham

I'm breaking format for this week's Dog of the Week, thanks to a sudden rehoming appeal that landed on my desk this afternoon. No less than eight Lurcher x Collies are now awaiting rehoming at Dogs Trust Evesham thanks to the sudden and unexpected death of their owner.

The dogs - five adults and three puppies - were being cared for by a friend while the owner was on holiday. The carer turned to Evesham for help when the tragedy occurred, and the centre stepped forward to take on the lovely canine family.

It never seems like the right time to think about these things, but I should mention that Dogs Trust does offer a completely free Canine Care Card, which gives owners peace of mind that the charity will look after their dog in the event of their death. You can find out more about this by calling 01386 834 875.

The dogs can be rehomed separately - we wouldn't ask anyone to take on so many together! - but would benefit from an existing dog in the home or going home as a pair as they can be nervous away from the familiar company of the pack.

Two of the pups have now been booked but 3-year-olds Jasmine, River, Sage, Bay and Nigella (all pictured above) and the remaining 4-month-old pup Angus are still looking for homes. Can you open yours for these gorgeously scruffy pooches?

Call Dogs Trust Evesham 01386 830 613.