Taking care of your pets from beyond the grave

There’s no questioning the love we feel for our pets, no matter the age, but for some owners, there’s a tendency to forget to put a plan in place for our furry friends when we pass away.

It means when the dust settles, your beloved pets are often left with no one to turn to.

Whether you have a cat or dog, our furry friends are more than companions.

“They are a part of our family, and they need to be treated as one and thought about for the future,” said Megan Sorbara, director of Purradise Gardens.

Angie Bray and her friend Cinde are both cat lovers and rescuers in the San Carlos Park neighborhood.

“We’ve caught countless cats for adoption,” said Bray. “A big part with elderly people and their pets is they think that their family is going to take them if something happens, and unfortunately, sometimes that is not always the case.”

A few days ago, Bray and Sorbara rescued three cats. Their owner passed away a while back, leaving their pets without a home.

“When we found them, their fur was completely matted. They’re going to have to be shaved to get all the mats out. They were covered head to toe in fleas and fluttered, and there were fleas actually living inside some of the mats. Two of the cats had double eye infections. One of them, when we trapped him, he was hyperventilating,” Bray said.

She said most of the cats she rescues end up in the care of Sabara.

“She is an absolute saint to the animals. She does everything she can to help as many as possible,” Bray said.

Sorbara has been saving cats for the past 15 years. She said it best: be prepared.

“Talk to your parents, your grandparents, your siblings that have pets that may be entering into an age where it might be more difficult for them to take care of and bring up the conversation and just say we have to be realistic. It gives people peace of mind to help with the pets at the end of it,” she said.

To learn more about how you can sign up for your pet’s well, give Peck and Peck in Naples a call at 239-263-9811.