01/02/2026
This is not a joke. I have literal legal documents about what happens to my dog if I die. I've had uncomfortable conversations with family members. I've set aside money specifically for his care. I've made backup plans for the backup plans. Why? Because the thought of my dog ending up confused and terrified in a shelter after losing me is my absolute worst nightmare. He's never known anything but love and security with me. He trusts that I'll always come home. That I'll always take care of him. If I die and he ends up abandoned, surrounded by strangers, not understanding why everything he knows is gone - that would destroy him. Dogs grieve. They don't understand death. They just know you left and never came back. And I REFUSE to let that be his reality. So I've made arrangements. Specific people have agreed to take him. There's money for his care. Instructions for his routines, his medications, his preferences. Everything documented. If you have a dog and you haven't done this, please do it NOW. Don't assume someone will step up. Don't leave it to chance. Make actual plans. Put it in writing. Make sure your dog is protected even after you're gone. They deserve that security. They've loved you their whole life - make sure they're safe for the rest of theirs.
