Legacy Care

Legacy Care is a program that works like an insurance policy to provide loving, individualized care to pets who outlive their owners. Enrollment in Legacy Care involves naming Paws4ever as the legal guardian of an animal in the event that their human passes away, with the provision of funds and information to care for that animal. Legacy Care was designed to give peace of mind to pet owners in our community by giving them an option to plan ahead for their animals’ care should the need arise. 

An enrollment fee of $1,000 per pet is due upon acceptance into the program. A minimum admission fee of $15,000 per pet is due when Paws4ever takes over the care of the pet. Discounts are available for pets adopted from Paws4ever or for fees paid at time of enrollment, as outlined below. Fees are subject to increase over time. These funds may be designated through a provision in your Will or Trust or a life insurance policy or certificate of deposit with Paws4ever as the named beneficiary. 

Enrollment Fee (Per Pet): $1000

We understand that giving up a pet is a heart-wrenching decision. We know you want what is best for your pet and we want that too. To save more animals’ lives and keep pets out of shelters, we encourage you to first try to rehome your pet yourself before surrendering to a shelter or a rescue. You know your pet better than anyone else and are best suited for finding your pet a home that fits all of his/her needs. And shelters, despite all their efforts, are still stressful places for animals, which can lead to anxiety, aggression, and illness. You are your pet’s best option for finding him or her a new home, and we are here to help guide you through this process. 

Please see our Rehoming and Help page for detailed information on how to rehome your pet and how you can list your pet for adoption on our Community Pets for Adoption page.

That is okay; we have prepared for that. The admission fee is an estimate based on the average cost of care over three years, but we realize of course that some animals may cost considerably more or less than this amount. Veterinary care in particular can be very costly and often unexpected. For this reason, we may discuss additional funding if your animal has a known higher cost, such as an expensive medication, or some members prefer to provide a higher amount for increased peace of mind. By having a flat fee, the leftover funds from some animals should be able to cover the extra expense of others.

See above. We have structured our funding requirements in order to ensure we can provide lifetime care for each animal in our program. If your animal does not end up costing the full amount of their admission fee, any remaining funds will go towards the care of other animals in the Legacy Care Program. Therefore, all fees are nonrefundable. 

Your pet will either live in our Legacy Care Residence located on the beautiful 20-acre Paws4ever sanctuary or in a home with a foster caregiver who has been trained on how to provide individualized care until they are matched with an adoptive home. At no time will your pet be in an animal shelter environment.

Step One: Request Application Forms – Reach out to legacy@paws4ever.org or call 919-241-4838 Ext. 117 to request application material for our Legacy Care program. 

Step Two: Submit Application Forms – Pet owner submits all required application forms to Paws4ever.

Step Three: Enrollment – After reviewing your application, if we believe your pet(s) is a good fit for our program, we’ll contact you to arrange a meeting. During this meeting, we’ll enjoy spending time with your pet(s) and will finalize your enrollment into the program, which includes completing forms signed by both parties and accepting any fees.

Step Four: Admission – If you pass away before your enrolled pet(s) does, your pet(s) will be admitted into our Legacy Care Program and the admission fee will be transferred to Paws4ever (if not already prepaid).

Enrollment reserves a slot in our program for a pet in case it is needed at any point in the future. Admission actually transfers the pet into Paws4ever’s care. The enrollment fee is due at the time of enrollment, whereas the admission fee is only required if and when the animal(s) comes to us for care, with the option to prepay if preferred. 

Acceptance into the program is dependent on our current availability of space and resources, as well as the medical and behavioral health of the animal(s) in question. We want to ensure that we can provide all of the personalized care and attention every animal deserves. For this reason, we will not accept an animal into the program if we do not feel confident in our ability to safely care for them and their individual needs. 

The above process can be expedited when an animal is in need of immediate care. Paws4ever staff can begin the review of all application forms once submitted, and if approved move immediately from enrollment to admission. 

Yes, you must complete all required forms for your pet(s) to be considered for the Legacy Care program and have your pet accepted into the program before you can include Paws4ever as your pet’s caretaker in your will.

We recommend that you grant authority to your Power of Attorney to admit your pet on your behalf if you become incapacitated. We can provide sample language to help guide you upon request. 

No. The admission fee specified at the time of enrollment is the amount due upon admittance. By joining now, you lock in the current admission rate.

Enrollment is transferable to another pet at no further cost, provided that pet meets the standards of acceptance into the program. The enrollment fee and admission fee (either pre-paid or the established amount at the time of enrollment) for a deceased pet can be used towards a new pet. Each pet must apply and be accepted into the program individually.

If for some reason the adoptive family cannot care for them, that animal can come back and re-enter Legacy Care. Paws4ever makes a lifetime commitment to our animals.  

Legacy Care is a planned enrollment program – allowing you to make plans for your pets far in advance of when you may need them. In addition, Legacy Care animals always live in a home-like environment, either in our Legacy Care Residence or in a foster caregiver’s home. At no time will Legacy Care animals live in our Adoption Center, which is a shelter environment.

We know how important it is to you to ensure care for your furry family members, and are happy to help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming process. To speak with someone about Legacy Care, please contact us at legacy@paws4ever.org or (919) 241.8438 x101.