Plans for your Tortoises after you Die

[tortoisenerd]

My husband and I are in the process of writing up a will, so of course what we will do with Trevor came up.

What has everyone here done to plan for their tortoise/s in their will?

So far we have realized that our parents wouldn't want the responsibility of a pet. We are thinking of leaving him to a local tortoise society with a cash donation to help find him a loving home, in the unlikely event that both of us die and no friends or family come forward at the time to care for him (this is a will drawn up for the time before we have kids; eventually I hope an adult child would want the little guy). I have even heard of owners asking for their pet to be put to sleep after they die. Neither of us could imagine anyone else caring for Trevor let alone him being put to sleep!

Anything else I need to plan for with him?

In happier news we found Trevor somewhere to stay for his vacation (our xmas vacation). I was dreading having to take him on a really long car ride (14 hours I think)! Now I just have to set up his travel tub, write a care sheet, etc. Best wishes.

 

[alfiethetortoise]

Funnily enough i ammended my will a couple of weeks ago. It's a little strange, since I am only 24, but because i have a child the will needs to be up to date and there had been a couple of changes in other circumstances so i thought i'd sort it out. Anyway, i added Alfie to the will. I wrote a care sheet as an appendix, and said that whoever ends up with my daughter ends up with the tortoise, with the intension that the tortoise shall eventually become the property of my daughter. In the event you one day have children, etc, your will can be ammennded quite cheaply.

 

[Kayti]

I have an aunt with a box turtle and 3 huge RES that are apparently willed to me now, after the last time she came up to visit and noticed Ed and Mona.

I always thought of either willing mine to a friend who has my RT's clutch mates, or else finding a good rescue who could find them a home. I don't think I'd ever want to expect a family member to take them, if they weren't as animal obsessed as I am.

But, I'm only 20, so I'm never going to die.

 

[samstar]

How about the zoo?

 

[bettinge]

Kate, here is a similar thread!

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-8779.html

 

[Yvonne G]

How about the zoo?

Most zoos don't want turtles and tortoises from the private sector. They have their sources for animals, have long quarantine periods, and just plain old don't want your tortoise.

 

[Kayti]

How about the zoo?

Most zoos don't want turtles and tortoises from the private sector. They have their sources for animals, have long quarantine periods, and just plain old don't want your tortoise.

Plus, a lot of zoos don't take great care of their animals.

 

[terryo]

I have Julie's (TRLI) number on all my indoor enclosures...just in case...I asked her first, of course. She is not far from where I live, so one of my son's can take them there. But I also have one son who loves them as I do, so he may take them....but he has a wife.

 

[dmmj]

I will be ground up and fed to my RES, J/K actually I adressed this in another thread but I don't mind, my mom will get first chance at any she would like and then the rest would go to my turtle club for whomever would like them, I know they would find great homes with the people there.

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Anyone have a will template?

 

[GBtortoises]

I actually have an envelope that contains a photo CD and letter with instructions on what to do with my tortoises in the event of my death. My wife, my son and both of my daughters know where the letter is located just in case something happens to one of them also, someone else will know it's whereabouts. Without going into alot of boring details the letter basically includes: The species and number of each species that I have, their approximate monetary value, both of which I try to remember to update annually. A brief care guide to keep them healthy while in the process of dispersing them. Website addresses of reptile classifieds, my log on information and a few trusted contacts that can help my family with the tortoises care and sales.

The CD contains photos of each animal from above with the species name and gender in the photo for identification.

Yeah, I know it sounds like I am very "anal" about it, (okay I am). But I figured that if the time came there would be other important things for my family to worry about. But I still want to know that the animals are not going to be overlooked and are taken care of. At the same time I do not want my family to be taken advantage of when selling them either!

 

[Madkins007]

Plus, a lot of zoos don't take great care of their animals.

While I admit that there are bad zoos, all AZA accredited zoos have to pass a rigorous evaluation on every aspect of all cares for all animals. I know you love your tortoise, but you would have a hard time passing the AZA standards for a tortoise in your home- things like food prep cleanliness processes, documentation showing why you feed what you do, charts of feed amounts, etc. are pretty typical.

I am not picking on you specifically- a lot of people like to rag on zoos for various reasons, and most of the reasons are just plain wrong.

---

How about the zoo?

In the US, many zoos have stopped taking donated animals. A zoo I know something about sends a polite letter to decline any donated animals. I have also heard from several reliable sources that in many zoos, donated animals are promptly euthanized.

The reality is that most zoos have neither the resources, will, or need to accept whatever animals we want to give them.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi...My turtles & tortoises, dogs & lizards are in my will. If my grand children are grown, they have first pick if they want any of them. My two grand daughters & 1 of my grandsons might want a couple of them. The rest are willed to my veterinarian to find homes for or keep as he wishes.
Patsy

 

[Kymiie]

I havnt made a will (only 17)
But I have said to my mum if I was to die soon or befor her and crush die
I would like her to keep crush and if she ever sold him I would haunt her!
Or if she cant cope/afford etc I want him to go to a tortoise sanctury.. NOT petshop or any old body!

xxx

 

[Madkins007]

My plan is simple- 2 of my 4 grown kids are interested in them and will decide what happens to them. (They also have a vested interest- they co-own one of the torts!) About time having kids made my life easier in some way!

 

[alfiethetortoise]

My thoughts exactly Madkins, Ava loves the tortoise and im sure when she is old enough to look after her properly she will. Interestingly, my local zoo WILL take in tortoises, has taken a couple recently. And wheneveer i go the torts seem to be very well taken care of - the Galaps have a massive enclosre which they have free reign of with some monkeys!

 

[-ryan-]

This is something I have thought about quite a bit as I don't intend on having kids. When you have tortoises, why would you need kids? If I were to die unexpectedly right now I know that my family and my fiancee would continue taking care of the animals. I hope that as I age I will continue to develop relationships with people who share an affinity for tortoises so that I could leave them with them. Of course, if I am dead I think I will have much bigger problems than where my pets end up

 

[alfiethetortoise]

This is something I have thought about quite a bit as I don't intend on having kids. When you have tortoises, why would you need kids?

Many people probably have children before they have tortoises, intentionally or unintentionally . I suppose different people want different things. But Ava can do a lot more interesting things than Alfie, and hopefully will become more self sufficient...

 

[-EJ]

I hope to sell off most of mine before I kick it but I told my wife who to contact in the event of my untimely demise. Those are people who I trust to take care of my family and get the best price for the animals.

I really think I do need a will though.

 

[Jacqui]

My children (the boys, not the girls with the reptiles)would have first chance to keep any animals (and the property here goes with the animals, if that is an issue with them keeping any). Then I have some that would be offered back to where I got them from. Still others (such as the Hingebacks) would be given to a Hingeback person to give to whom she feels would use them in the most productive ways. The rest I have people I would like them offered to or ask of them to help find them homes.

I also have details as to what animal is what, where to find it, what it eats, what care it needs, it's history ect.., This information is especially important not just if I would die, but if I would be in a hospital or otherwise unable to be caring for my animals.

I admit having to train first my youngest son and now a completely non-tortoise person how to care for my gang, I realize how many little tiny details there are to think about. I still keep finding ones I forgot.