“Inseparable” is probably the best word to describe the relationship between Mildred, an elderly widow, and her beloved dog, Sparkle. For 10 years, the two ate every meal together—with Sparkle perched on Mildred’s lap—and took daily walks through their neighborhood.

But Mildred was developing dementia, and after a neighbor found her on the floor of her home with Sparkle protectively standing guard over her, she was moved to a memory care unit. At the care center, Mildred kept saying Sparkle’s name over and over again. Sparkle, with nowhere else to go, was taken to an animal shelter.

Confused, lonely, and pining away for Mildred, Sparkle languished in the shelter for weeks. Eventually, she was adopted by a 75-year-old man named Max, whose wife had recently passed away. A few months later, Max went to visit a friend in an elder care facility and got permission to take Sparkle along. As soon as they walked through in the door, Sparkle became excited and started pulling on his leash. There was Mildred, walking toward them and crying, “Sparkle!” Staffers quickly recognized Sparkle as the same dog in the photo that Mildred had shown them many times. Max began taking Sparkle to visit Mildred every day, and the three formed a beautiful friendship.

This story has a happy ending, but many animals who are separated from their guardians because of illness or death never do find another loving home. That’s why it’s so important to make plans now to ensure that our animal family members will receive proper care if we’re no longer able to be there for them.

It’s vital to have someone who can come to your home at a moment’s notice to care for and comfort your animals in an emergency. It’s also crucial to choose one or more people (and backups) to be your animals’ permanent guardians if you’re no longer able to care for them. Of course, you’ll want to choose trusted, reliable friends or relatives who are willing and able to take on this commitment and make sure that your animals are comfortable with them and vice versa.

Many states now allow “pet trusts,” which permit you to provide for your animal companions’ needs and detail how they should be cared for after you have passed away. Consult with your attorney about including your animal companions in your estate plans, and make sure your family and friends are aware of your wishes. Please visit PETA’s Web page on planning for your animal companions and our factsheet for more information.

Keeping files with current information about each of your animals will also help ensure that they receive the best possible care. The files should include people to contact in an emergency; the species, name, gender, and approximate age of each animal; the name and location of your veterinarian; your animals’ diets, feeding schedules, medications, personalities, likes, and dislikes; and a description of their daily routine. Be sure to update the files at least once a year. You should also carry a card in your purse or wallet that says, “Please save my animals,” and lists your address, the number and species of your animals, and an emergency contact. Also be sure to put a “Please save our animals” sticker on your house in a location that is visible from the outside, such as an exterior door.

PETA offers a Companion Animal Planning Packet that contains everything needed to help you organize and implement a long-term plan for your animals. To request one, please e-mail [email protected] and include your name and mailing address.