Wills and Estate Planning

In addition to reading this article, you may want to follow this link to a site dedicated to estate planning for pets.

© By Sybil Erden, Director - The Oasis Sanctuary
February 24, 2002, Cascabel, Arizona

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The Oasis receives many letters and telephone calls from people desiring to leave their birds to us when they die and requesting guidelines to help them set this up in their Will. Often these people also wish to provide financial support for their birds and want information on how to assure that their wishes are carried out upon their death or their inability to care for their birds.

We always honor the wishes stated in people's Wills. As of February 2002, we have more than a dozen birds at The Oasis Sanctuary whose owners have either passed away or relocated to nursing homes.

Although I am not an attorney, I do know that the laws regarding Wills and Estates vary considerably from state to state. Therefore we always suggest consulting with your own estate attorney. Our attorney, Luis Ochoa of Quarles and Brady Streich Lang in Tucson, Arizona, is available to discuss your plans with your attorney.

Simply put, planning for your bird's future care is not difficult. A life insurance policy naming The Oasis as beneficiary is relatively easy to set up. IRA's, specific bank accounts or specified amounts of money or property can be bequeathed in your Will. Trusts, particularly those that pay an annual dividend to the Sanctuary, can also be drawn up by your attorney or your bank.

In your Will, it must be specified who is to get your birds. If there is more than one bird, all birds that are coming to The Oasis Sanctuary should be named and described. The Oasis contract with the relinquishing owner, in this case your Executor, will guarantee lifetime care for the birds.

It is imperative to have someone who can care for the birds between the time of your incapacitation and/or death and the date when the birds would be relocated to The Oasis Sanctuary. This person should preferably not be a family member, as they could be too distressed to worry about your birds or pets. The Oasis has recently published a booklet entitled, "My Companion Parrot Care Guide", which helps you lay out whatever plans you like for your birds, including their care during your absence., whether the reason be illness or vacation. The Parrot Care Guide should be readily accessible in a known location. You can purchase the booklet on-line through our website. In addition to being a fund-raiser for the Sanctuary, the Parrot Care Guide is a really helpful tool for all of us who care for companion birds.

Remember to update your Will periodically, particularly when you acquire or lose a bird. Please keep in mind that the people you select today as Executors or caregivers could become unavailable in the future.

Each bird will need to be seen by your Avian Veterinarian for a series of health tests prior to being transported here. We can tell your Avian Vet what tests we require at that time. At today's costs, you can anticipate the medical workup will be approximately $200 per bird. This and miscellaneous "travel expenses" should also be set-aside for this time. Make sure your birds are used to their travel crates to minimize stress. Plan on having your temporary caregiver or Executor send along favorite toys. For this purpose, your Executor needs to have a copy of your Will plus a copy of the booklet, or at least the sections which have the temporary selected caregiver's name and number, your Veterinarian's name and phone number, the Oasis' name, number and address, your preferred method of shipment or delivery.

When the birds arrive at The Oasis, your Executor should also send an envelope containing their health certificates, a list of their names, ages, their medical records and special needs, likes and dislikes. It would be helpful to us if you could let us know that you have specified in your Will that your birds are to be sent to The Oasis upon your death.

Hopefully this answers some of your questions. All other information, including any laws peculiar to your state, should be left in the hands of your attorney. Just remember that in this day and age our beloved birds are considered "property" and as such, you cannot leave property (i.e., life insurance proceeds) to property. Hopefully, long before your old age and death the law will become more enlightened.

Please feel free to call us or contact our attorney if you need further assistance or clarification.