Open your wallet: It's time for a pet-friendly pop quiz.
Driver's license, credit cards, pictures, money, an appointment card from your dentist, a dry-cleaning receipt, a frequent buyer card or two -- do you know what's missing?
Mary Randolph does.
You should have something in your wallet detailing who's to care for your pets if you suddenly cannot, says the attorney and author of "Dog Law" (Nolo Press; $14.95), a modestly priced book now in its third revision and still one of the best additions to any pet-lover's library.
"It's like a Medic Alert card," she says of the importance of having information on your pets in your wallet at all times. "It should say: 'Attention: I have these animals at home. Please call this person to take care of them.'"
Randolph points out that if you were in an accident or became suddenly and seriously ill, no one may even realize you have pets. "Your pets may be alone for who knows how long," she says. "Maybe your neighbors don't know where you are, maybe your family lives far away. And if you should die and you haven't lined up care, your pets may end up in the shelter after they're found."
Which brings up the point of whose name should be in your wallet. How do you set up care for your pets, especially after you're gone?
"What I tell people is not to worry so much about the legal part but instead concentrate on the practical part," says Randolph. "Think of the person, not the animal. Prepare that person to care for your pet, let them know who your veterinarian is, what your animals eat, what kind of medicines they take. Write it all down beforehand and go over it. You do not want this to be a surprise."
Many people think they can leave money to their pets, but Randolph says the law really offers very little protection for animals after their owners die. "Animals can't own property," she says, explaining that in the eyes of the law animals are little more than property themselves. "A few states allow honorary trusts for pets, and allow you to appoint a trustee who will be in charge of the money.
"The problem with that is that it might give the person a false sense of security, even though a dog can't go to court to enforce the trust."
Trust of another variety is the key. "Pick the person, leave them the animals and enough money to provide for care, and then trust them to take care of your animals."
And what if you haven't anyone who can take on this important job for you? Check with local humane society, says Randolph.
"Shelters are trying to address this real need." The San Francisco SPCA, she says, has a policy that no member's pet will lack for a home after an owner dies. A couple of veterinary schools -- the one at Purdue among them -- offer lifelong care, although the suggested $25,000 donation puts the program out of reach for many.
Randolph finds the changes encouraging, and believes they're indicative of a more pet-friendly legal environment. "There used to be only one or two states that allowed trusts, and now there are more. It shows some concern: Someone had to lobby for these bills to go through.
"As the population ages, this is a more common concern for people," she adds.
Providing for pets in case of illness, accident or death is just one small part of this important book, which also covers animal-control regulations, landlord-tenant law, wrongful death of a pet, cruelty statutes, veterinary malpractice, and problems with other people's dogs, such as noise and aggression. Although it focuses on dogs, much of the information applies to other animals as well.
CYBERLINKS: The Nolo Press Web site (http://www.nolo.com) offers a taste of what's in "Dog Law," with articles written by Mary Randolph that cover many aspects of the law as it applies to animals. If you're thinking of getting a puppy, "When a Dog Is a Lemon" is a must-read, covering your legal recourse if you end up with a sick dog and offering solid advice on how to avoid problems in the first place.
Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.
4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600