[nagdu] Pets, Wills and Animal Trusts

[Elizabeth Rene]

I wonder if NAGDU couldn't establish a general philanthropic trust for the 
care and support of retired and predeceased guide dogs.  This could

*  lessen the need for individuals with limited means to set up their own 
trust funds,

*  provide for guardianship and financial support for guides whose humans 
can't find suitable placement homes, or don't want to send guides back to 
their schools,

*   offer general guidance and support to families who take retired guides 
so that those who place them and those who receive them will have back-up if 
there's a question about how a retired or predeceased guide should be cared 
for,

*    provide general guidance through education to those who want to make 
inheritance plans for their guides,

*    provide a platform for advocacy to guide dog training schools to 
educate their students and graduates about how better to plan in advance for 
their retired or predeceased guides

*  help to make the transition into retirement for human and guide less 
stressful.

*  be a means  to put the NFB in the vanguard of blind people of exercising 
social responsibility by helping to educate the general public about how to 
plan for the care of retired and predeceased service dogs and beloved pets.

*   provide a revenue stream for donations to the NFB from  members of the 
general public who feel more comfortable giving towards the accomplishment 
of specific projects rather than for general charitable purposes.

I've been dreaming about something like this for a long time, and even have 
a fantasy name (but don't worry, only in my dreams) for this group: Guide 
Dogs Emeriti.


What say you?

Elizabeth