Planned Giving

Pet Guardian Program: Peace of Mind for Your Pet’s Care

Do you ever worry about who will be there for your beloved furry family members if you can't be there? Where will your pet go if something happens to you? The Seattle Humane Society Pet Guardian Program is a service for Seattle Humane Society supporters who specify in their will or trust document that their companion animals are to be entrusted to the Seattle Humane Society in the event of their incapacity or death. For a one-time fee of $1,000.00 (fee may be paid in installments), an individual or family can enroll as members in the program. This membership covers up to five cats, dogs and small critters; remains in effect during the lifetime of the enrollee; and includes any animals they own at the time of their death.

In return for enrolling in the Pet Guardian Program, the Seattle Humane Society will:

Provide collar tags that indicate the pet is enrolled in the Pet Guardian program with an inscription to contact SHS when the owner is unable to care for the animal.
Provide microchipping for the pets.
Pick up the animal within a 100-mile radius of the Seattle Humane Society's Bellevue campus and transport to SHS, if requested.
Contact Pet Guardian Program members annually to update our files regarding the pets in their household.
Take pets immediately upon death.
Keep pets together, including a dog and a cat, if beneficial for the animals.
Place the pets in a foster home if they are not doing well at the shelter.
Take as long as necessary to place adoptable pets into appropriate loving homes.

Your enrollment fee may be considered a tax-deductible contribution, minus any fees for microchipping services provided at the time of enrollment.

For more information, please contact Scott Fraser, Major Gifts Officer, at 425-649-7551, scott@seattlehumane.org, or download our Pet Guardian Program FAQ (PDF).

By enrolling in Seattle Humane Society’s Pet Guardian Program, you can have peace of mind and rest assured that we will care for your pets when you can no longer do so.

The information in this website is not intended as legal advice. For legal advice, please consult an attorney. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to income tax apply to federal taxes only. Federal estate tax, state income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.