What can I do to ensure my parrot will come to Phoenix Landing if I were to pass away?
Planning for your parrot's future
Thank you for planning for your bird's future, and for considering Phoenix Landing. There is information you should gather about Phoenix Landing and other organizations you are considering, and information you should share with organizations about your bird(s) in advance as well.
Research the organizations you are considering
We recommend researching any organization you are considering to leave your bird(s), including Phoenix Landing. Make an appointment to visit the organization if they have a facility. Learn about what someone would need to do in order to adopt (if a rehoming organization), about the standards of care they provide or advocate, and what plans they have in place for the future. How sustainable is the organization you are considering? Are they a good match for you, philosophically, concerning the care they provide and advocate? If you are unfamiliar with Phoenix Landing, and aren't local to Phoenix Landing's adoption center in Western NC, you may wish to start by attending some of our educational events.
Information to provide to Phoenix Landing in advance
Connect with Phoenix Landing or other organizations in advance and include basic information about your parrot(s) for them. If there are stipulations concerning their care or transfer, then you'll want to work with your attorney to set up a trust, and also run these by the organization to make sure the organization can comply with the stipulations. For instance, if you want to make sure your bird has XYZ, that may be something we can absolutely assure, but maybe it isn't, depending on the specifics. We can discuss those with you in advance if there are stipulations.
Species may matter. For instance, we already have a lot of male sulphur crested cockatoos in the adoption program and wait list, and they are among the most often relinquished birds. So, unless a male sulphur crested cockatoo was originally adopted from us, we may not be able to guarantee we can accept him, or it may be a lengthy wait to get into the program.
Naming Phoenix Landing as your bird's caretaker
If you simply want to leave the birds to Phoenix Landing, then you just need to designate such in your will and name Phoenix Landing as the beneficiary for whatever funds may be included as well. Our federal EIN is EIN: 87-0659457. The best contact information to provide is our main email address ([email protected]), as multiple people receive it. You may also include our mailing address.
Surrender/relinquishment forms
We recommend filling out surrender/relinquishment forms on your birds in advance, and keeping those forms with your will. You can send us a copy of the forms in advance, too, noting that they are not for immediate relinquishment, but just in case the need arises in the future. When you send them to us in advance, we start a file on the birds, so should someone contact us later in the event of something happening to you, we have some information already in our system about them.
Naming a temporary caretaker
We are volunteer based and span several states, so we recommend designating someone who can care for your birds in the short term, too, in the event that something should happen suddenly until we could arrange to get them to a foster home or the adoption center in NC.
If you are outside of our normal operating area
If you are outside of the MD, DC, VA, NC, or Jacksonville, FL areas, there may be another organization with whom you are comfortable that could help in the event that something happened to you. If not, you may also want to name someone to connect with Phoenix Landing to help coordinate transportation to a Phoenix Landing foster home or the adoption center, or even a reputable pet transportation service. (Perhaps this may be the same person as the temporary caretaker.) Of course we may have volunteers who can assist, but if there is a great distance involved, additional assistance may be needed, or it may be that we can help sooner if transportation for the parrot, parrot's cage, play stands, and other supplies, are also available.
Thank you
Thank you for considering Phoenix Landing! We hope you will not need our assistance for this purpose for many years to come, so that you have many happy years ahead with your bird(s)! We appreciate that you are looking out for your parrot's future.
Research the organizations you are considering
We recommend researching any organization you are considering to leave your bird(s), including Phoenix Landing. Make an appointment to visit the organization if they have a facility. Learn about what someone would need to do in order to adopt (if a rehoming organization), about the standards of care they provide or advocate, and what plans they have in place for the future. How sustainable is the organization you are considering? Are they a good match for you, philosophically, concerning the care they provide and advocate? If you are unfamiliar with Phoenix Landing, and aren't local to Phoenix Landing's adoption center in Western NC, you may wish to start by attending some of our educational events.
Information to provide to Phoenix Landing in advance
Connect with Phoenix Landing or other organizations in advance and include basic information about your parrot(s) for them. If there are stipulations concerning their care or transfer, then you'll want to work with your attorney to set up a trust, and also run these by the organization to make sure the organization can comply with the stipulations. For instance, if you want to make sure your bird has XYZ, that may be something we can absolutely assure, but maybe it isn't, depending on the specifics. We can discuss those with you in advance if there are stipulations.
Species may matter. For instance, we already have a lot of male sulphur crested cockatoos in the adoption program and wait list, and they are among the most often relinquished birds. So, unless a male sulphur crested cockatoo was originally adopted from us, we may not be able to guarantee we can accept him, or it may be a lengthy wait to get into the program.
Naming Phoenix Landing as your bird's caretaker
If you simply want to leave the birds to Phoenix Landing, then you just need to designate such in your will and name Phoenix Landing as the beneficiary for whatever funds may be included as well. Our federal EIN is EIN: 87-0659457. The best contact information to provide is our main email address ([email protected]), as multiple people receive it. You may also include our mailing address.
Surrender/relinquishment forms
We recommend filling out surrender/relinquishment forms on your birds in advance, and keeping those forms with your will. You can send us a copy of the forms in advance, too, noting that they are not for immediate relinquishment, but just in case the need arises in the future. When you send them to us in advance, we start a file on the birds, so should someone contact us later in the event of something happening to you, we have some information already in our system about them.
Naming a temporary caretaker
We are volunteer based and span several states, so we recommend designating someone who can care for your birds in the short term, too, in the event that something should happen suddenly until we could arrange to get them to a foster home or the adoption center in NC.
If you are outside of our normal operating area
If you are outside of the MD, DC, VA, NC, or Jacksonville, FL areas, there may be another organization with whom you are comfortable that could help in the event that something happened to you. If not, you may also want to name someone to connect with Phoenix Landing to help coordinate transportation to a Phoenix Landing foster home or the adoption center, or even a reputable pet transportation service. (Perhaps this may be the same person as the temporary caretaker.) Of course we may have volunteers who can assist, but if there is a great distance involved, additional assistance may be needed, or it may be that we can help sooner if transportation for the parrot, parrot's cage, play stands, and other supplies, are also available.
Thank you
Thank you for considering Phoenix Landing! We hope you will not need our assistance for this purpose for many years to come, so that you have many happy years ahead with your bird(s)! We appreciate that you are looking out for your parrot's future.
Additional information and resources
July 23, 2022: "Estate Planning for Pets" with Peggy R. Hoyt , J.D., M.B.A., B.C.S.
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Click on the icon to the left to hear a recorded webinar with Peggy in July 2022. She talks about estate planning, things to consider and why it is important that we consider the future of our pets after we're gone. Peggy Hoyt is a Florida estate and elder law attorney, but her real passion is as an animal advocate. She helps her clients and listeners create estate plans for pets and their people. Peggy grew up in the world of animal welfare (her dad was John A. Hoyt, former President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States for 27 years).
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"What if your parrot outlives you?"
Professor Gerry Beyer, J.S.D., LL.M., J.D. Texas Tech University, School of Law Recorded webinar from October 10, 2020. Related article: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3708429 What will happen to your parrot if s/he outlives you? What is a pet trust and should you set one up? What other options are available to pet owners? Do you have a plan in place to provide for your bird’s care in case you and your family have an unexpected hospital stay, due to a vehicle accident, COVID, or another reason? Professor Beyer will discuss these topics and more in an informative and entertaining online talk. These are all important considerations for any parrot and pet owner. |
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