Pet Legacy Plan

SPCA has a history of knowledge and experience in looking out for and after animals. We are New Zealand’s oldest and largest animal welfare charity and have been in operation for over 150 years. You can rely on us to be here for another 150 years and beyond.

Whenever someone pledges a gift to SPCA in their Will, we feel incredibly honoured. It is a difficult topic to think about and being included in the conversation shows us just how seriously animals and SPCA matter to you.

A gift in your Will can be the difference between life and death. It can be the emergency surgery for a dog, cat or rabbit, or the medical equipment used to carry out the surgery. It might be the medical after-care, whether it be the resting cage, the blanket or the water bowl.

We are the trusted name in speaking out for the animals that cannot voice their pain and suffering. We continuously fight for improvements to their welfare, stiving to seek a better life for all animals. We aim to protect and save them from abuse and neglect.

Help build a better future for animals. Join thousands of like-minded animal lovers and be the lifeblood for future generations, giving all animals the life they deserve. Leave a gift in your Will to SPCA today.

SPCA will need to be notified that you have passed away by a family, friend or Solicitor etc. To ensure this happens, we strongly advise that, as well as including instructions in your Will and/or Enduring Power of Attorney, you tell as many people as possible of your wish for your pet to be taken to SPCA in the event of your death; for example neighbours, colleagues, social worker, landlord etc.

It is recommended that you allocate a friend or family member (or your Executor) to be the one to contact the Pet Legacy Team:
Email: petlegacy@spca.nz
Phone: 021 598 313

We recommend that you include instructions in your Will for your pet to come to SPCA to ensure that your Executor is fully aware of your wishes. We recommend that you speak to your lawyer or Will-maker in the first instance. However, the following wording may be used as a guide:

“I GIVE [describe the animals], at the time of my death to RNZSPCA (Charities Commission number CC64075) and I WISH for RNZSPCA to take reasonable steps to care for and secure a new loving home for each animal”.

Where possible, we would ask that you make a plan with a family member, friend or Executor /Enduring Power of Attorney to arrange for your pet’s transfer to your local SPCA Centre after speaking to the Centre Manager. But the Pet legacy Team should be contacted in the first instance.

Should it be required, we might be able to collect certain animals and transport them to the nearest SPCA Centre. If you think that you will need this service, please get in touch so we can note this on your record.

Please also be aware that whilst we will always try to prioritise Pet Legacy Plan animals, we may not be able to collect them immediately. Dependent on the urgency of the situation, this may take up to 7 working days.

If you have any concerns, please gives us a call to discuss. You can contact the Pet Legacy Team on 021 598 313.

We will always try to keep your pet within the local region where you lived. Please be aware that under some circumstances, our team may decide to move animals between Centres, either to improve their welfare or to speed up their rehoming process.

As well as being a legal requirement for all dogs (except working dogs) in New Zealand, a microchip is also the easiest way for us to identify your animal on our system should they need to come to an SPCA Centre. Please contact your local veterinary clinic for information about microchipping your pet. Please also register your animal(s) with Companion Animals New Zealand.

We don’t run our Centres at full capacity (allowing us to take in emergencies), so while it is possible that some Centres maybe close to full capacity, we would do our best to place for your pet(s) within another Centre.

Whilst multiple pets would be welcome at SPCA, their admissions may need to be staggered, due to capacity issues and infection control.

At SPCA, we always put the welfare of our animals first, and where we can see that a pair, or group of animals, are clearly bonded and it is in their best interest to be kept together, we will certainly look to rehome then together. Occasionally, animals who have been bonded in a home may behave differently towards each other in a shelter environment due to stress and the change of environment. In these instances, we may separate a group, if doing so would decrease their stress levels and increase their welfare, bettering their chances of quickly finding a new home. All decisions are made under the guidance of a veterinarian and/or experienced animal caregivers.

We understand that you may have concerns about your pet’s long-term health, and it is a lovely idea to be able to continue to care for your pet after your death. Our recommendation would be to name SPCA as a beneficiary in your Will and leave the financial provisions with us to manage.

Every animal that comes into an SPCA Centre is treated with compassion and dignity and is assessed by a member of our veterinary team and specialised behavioural assessors. Under some circumstances, our veterinary team may determine that an animal’s medical condition cannot be treated or managed and is having a negative effect on their welfare. In these cases, it may be determined that the kindest action is to euthanise the animal.

If your pet has a medical condition that can be managed and our veterinary team are happy that they are able to maintain a good welfare standard, then they will be rehomed. We would make sure that their new family are aware of any medical or behavioural condition and are financially able to cover any costs involved.

If you have any concerns about this, please do get in touch.

We welcome all animals of all ages, and many people come to us looking to rehome one of our more senior residents. We know these animals still have much life and love to give, and if both their cognitive and behavioural health allows it to lead a happy and fulfilled life so we would work hard to find your pet the perfect home to enjoy their retirement years.

If your pet has a behavioural problem, or their behaviour may change in an unfamiliar environment, our dedicated team can manage and resolve certain issues over time so that they are able to maintain a good welfare standard, and then they will be rehomed where possible. We would make sure that their new family are aware of any medical or behavioural condition and are financially able to cover any costs involved.

A small amount of familiar bedding/blankets and toys may help your pet to settle in during their first few days at SPCA. Anything brought with an animal that can’t be used by SPCA would be donated to other SPCA Centres or passed on to our SPCA Op Shops.

At SPCA we have an extensive enrichment programme which includes individual care plans, a variety of toys and games, calming music as well as regular cuddles and walks from staff and volunteers. If your pet shows signs of stress, we would then look at placing them with a foster carer.

So long as your pet continues to be medically and behaviourally suitable for rehoming, we will care for them as long as it takes for the right owners to be found. In some cases, this can take a matter of days but for others it may be many months before they find their perfect new home.

Our Pet Legacy Plan is exclusively for those that have left a gift in their Will to the SPCA. Unfortunately, we do not offer a boarding service and are not able to take in a pet on a temporary basis.

If you feel you are no longer in a position to care for your pet and would like to transfer ownership of the pet to the SPCA before your death, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss. Email: petlegacy@spca.nz or Phone: 021 589 313

Our teams work very hard to match our animals with their perfect new homes, following our formal rehoming process. All our animals are assessed by a trained caregiver who will refer to the information you provide as well as veterinary notes to carefully determine what sort of family, lifestyle and home environment would suit your pet best. With this information, they will add your pet(s) photo and details to our website. When a match has been found, your pet(s) potential new family would be invited to the SPCA Centre to meet them. If all goes well, and after a final chat with our rehoming team, your pet would be on their way to their new home.

Whilst your pet is at SPCA your family can ask for updates on their progress, however, data protection laws would prohibit us from sharing details of their new owners.

It may be that your family decide that they themselves are able to provide care for your pet, or to take it/ them to an alternative rescue centre. If you want to ensure that your pet comes to SPCA, and nowhere else, we strongly advise you include this in your Will and make a plan for how your pet will be taken to a local SPCA Centre.

If you live overseas with your pet, SPCA can no longer take them after you have passed away. However, if your pet is still within New Zealand, please contact us to discuss it further.

The Pet Legacy Plan is free of charge. However, our supporters who sign up to the Plan have chosen to leave a gift in their Will to SPCA as a thank you for promising to take care of their treasured pet and to help cover costs of their care.

A gift in your Will to the SPCA, whatever the amount, will help ensure that we can continue to be here to care for every animal who needs our help, for many years to come.