Hello. I am writing to ask you if you have any thoughts about how to
provide for pond goldfish after the owner's death.
I'm in the process of writing an animal trust, and I'm trying to come
up with a plan for my goldfish after I am gone. Not that I am
planning on dying any time soon...but you just never know what's in
store for you, and I'd hate to think of my goldies being neglected or
cared for improperly or, (God forbid) used as "feeders".
Unfortunately, I don't know anybody in my area who is into ponding,
although I am trying to network with some of the koi clubs in the
Portland area.

Anybody out there live anywhere near western Oregon who would be
willing to be goldfish "godparents"?

Thanks.
Joan, on the central Oregon coast
)

Joan,

You pose a good question. A number of times folks have come on to the
group to ask how to deal with a pond or fish that they have
inherited. We have given information to them. As far as I know, you
are the first to ask about advanced planning! I think your direction
is great. I hope you find someone who would care for them.

Jim

"Joan" wrote in message
...
Hello. I am writing to ask you if you have any thoughts about how
to
provide for pond goldfish after the owner's death.
I'm in the process of writing an animal trust, and I'm trying to
come
up with a plan for my goldfish after I am gone. Not that I am
planning on dying any time soon...but you just never know what's in
store for you, and I'd hate to think of my goldies being neglected
or
cared for improperly or, (God forbid) used as "feeders".
Unfortunately, I don't know anybody in my area who is into ponding,
although I am trying to network with some of the koi clubs in the
Portland area.

Anybody out there live anywhere near western Oregon who would be
willing to be goldfish "godparents"?

Thanks.
Joan, on the central Oregon coast
)

I've given fish that got too big for my tanks to a local fish store
that was willing to take them. Unless you can find a fellow ponder,
perhaps the best idea is find someone who sells goldfish (not as
feeders, but as pond fish) and see if they'd be willing to take them
in case your goldfish outsurvive you.

You might also talk to an estate lawyer. Whoever will be in charge
of your estate could perhaps be charged to maintain your goldfish (in
place, as it were) until suitable homes were found.

Gail
near San Antonio TX

I would think a complete explanation of first, how to care for the pond and fish
would be a great idea. Then, for sure, the phone number and name of a place that
will sell them or give them to good customers.

It is odd, but it seems all my friends are now taking a look at all our "stuff" and
thinking how is anybody going to cope with it. When my Gr'ma died at 93 she had
whittled everything she owned down to 2 dresses, 2 sweaters, a drawer full of undies
and a small jewelry box, her sewing machine and her tamburiza. Truthfully, she wasnt
one for owning much. My mother was the quintessential pack rat and I am just a bit
less so. HOWEVER. Lately I have been able to strip myself of some holdovers. This
coming winter vacation I am going to do a major "stripping" of stuff. I WILL learn
how to list on eBay... LOL. Mostly I find it disturbing that I dont know where
anything is anymore. My husband has moved and shuffled stuff around so often that
even the stuff I WANT cannot be found.

My vacation starts after Dec. 8 and lasts a month, so I will have plenty of time to
sort, throw, send to Goodwill, etc. Ingrid

On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:30:26 EST, "Gail Futoran"
wrote:
I've given fish that got too big for my tanks to a local fish store
that was willing to take them.

On Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:38:42 EST, wrote:

My vacation starts after Dec. 8 and lasts a month, so I will have plenty of time to
sort, throw, send to Goodwill, etc. Ingrid

I'm with you. Last Xmas it was the kitchen. This year my son's closet where
I've stored lots of seasonal clothes. I took a closer look this year when
transferring from summer to winter clothes and saw that we still have a
Darth Vader costume that youngest probably wore when he was 10, he's now
20. And an old snow skiing suit of mine over 30+ years old. Don't think it
is even good for Goodwill. And several kid size bids hardly worn.

I'm also looking forward to the day when we can afford a flat screen and
getting rid of the big heavy entertainment center that stops me from
getting the carpet re-stretched. Most everything is far easier to move, but
that thing, with all the cords, would be daunting. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Hi, Jim. Thanks for the nice feedback. Since there isn't much in the
way of good birth control for goldfish, and since I am going to try to
keep them as healthy as I can for as long as I can, in theory, I won't
ever run out of goldfish (at least if I do my job right). Which means
sooner or later.....some day....somebody else is going to have to take
care of them,

Joan

Joan,

You pose a good question. A number of times folks have come on to the
group to ask how to deal with a pond or fish that they have
inherited. We have given information to them. As far as I know, you
are the first to ask about advanced planning! I think your direction
is great. I hope you find someone who would care for them.

Jim

I've given fish that got too big for my tanks to a local fish store
that was willing to take them. Unless you can find a fellow ponder,
perhaps the best idea is find someone who sells goldfish (not as
feeders, but as pond fish) and see if they'd be willing to take them
in case your goldfish outsurvive you.

Yeah...that may end up being the my best back-up plan...although it
would be nice to know that they were going to somebody who would love
them and take good care of them, not just whoever comes up with the
money.

You might also talk to an estate lawyer. Whoever will be in charge
of your estate could perhaps be charged to maintain your goldfish (in
place, as it were) until suitable homes were found.

Gail
near San Antonio TX

Yep, I'm working with an estate lawyer as we speak. A good
transitional caretaker would be an excellent start!

Thanks, Gail.

Joan

On Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:38:42 EST, wrote:

I would think a complete explanation of first, how to care for the pond and fish
would be a great idea. Then, for sure, the phone number and name of a place that
will sell them or give them to good customers.

That's a good idea! I am working on an animal trust, and I can
certainly include a caretakers' manual in it. Thanks for the great
thought.

It is odd, but it seems all my friends are now taking a look at all our "stuff" and
thinking how is anybody going to cope with it.

Oh, interesting! I've been doing that too! When the second of my
parents died, my sisters and I had a huge house full of decades worth
of accumulated stuff. It was a huge job. I do often think I ought to
make sure my stuff is easier to cope with.

When my Gr'ma died at 93 she had
whittled everything she owned down to 2 dresses, 2 sweaters, a drawer full of undies
and a small jewelry box, her sewing machine and her tamburiza. Truthfully, she wasnt
one for owning much. My mother was the quintessential pack rat and I am just a bit
less so. HOWEVER. Lately I have been able to strip myself of some holdovers. This
coming winter vacation I am going to do a major "stripping" of stuff. I WILL learn
how to list on eBay... LOL. Mostly I find it disturbing that I dont know where
anything is anymore. My husband has moved and shuffled stuff around so often that
even the stuff I WANT cannot be found.

Oh, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm totally embarrassed at how
disorganized I've become. But I do have two huge trashbags full of
old clothes to give away now.

My vacation starts after Dec. 8 and lasts a month, so I will have plenty of time to
sort, throw, send to Goodwill, etc. Ingrid

Good luck with your decluttering project!

Joan

Yeah... my mother died 4 years ago and all her stuff was moved into our basement,
garage, the attic in one of our rental (the one with the huge walk in attic!) and I
have not been able to deal with it for emotional reasons. We needed everything out of
her house so we could rent it pending a decision about selling.
But I think I am ready. this fall I left 3 really really old plants out to die
rather than drag them back into the house. 2- 30+ year old jades and a Hoya we have
schlepped all the way to Minn to D.C. and back. So the rest should be easy. Anything
of worth (yeah, we got an art collection) is going to be photographed onto a dvd, a
list made of stuff worth anything for whoever inherits this. we got a lifetime
collection of DH parents art... well that is really worth bocu bucks and that is
going to be entirely up to my DH to deal with as he is the curator of their art work.
His mother is still alive, his dad is dead. Most of it is in a storage place, but
the sculptures are in the house, in the garage, in the basement, in the "green room"
upstairs that was almost a library before my mothers stuff got here.

WE NEED A SUPPORT GROUP. Our whole boomer age group must be going thru this.
Ingrid

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 20:26:24 EST, Joan wrote:
When the second of my
parents died, my sisters and I had a huge house full of decades worth
of accumulated stuff. It was a huge job. I do often think I ought to
make sure my stuff is easier to cope with.

Hi,

Here is my suggestion for you.

You may create a pet trust either (1) while you are still alive (an “inter vivos” or “living” trust) or (2) when you die by including the trust provisions in your will (a “testamentary” trust).

An inter vivos trust takes effect immediately and thus will be functioning when you die or become disabled. This avoids delay between your death and the property being available for the pet’s care. However, an inter vivos trust often has additional start-up costs and administration fees.