The Chadwick Fund was started to help instruct pet owners how to make arrangements so that pets are cared for when they no longer can do so and allows us to put funds aside to take in animals that are left behind without plans for their care. We at Calvin's Paws aspire to see the concept of a Chadwick Fund set up in every rescue group around the United States. Its value is in the awareness that it provides.
Chadwick was a wonderfully affectionate Orange Maine Coon cat left behind when he was an 18 years old and his owner passed away at the young age of 42. Chadwick did not have anywhere to go but the shelter.
No provisions were made for his care. Luckily, Chadwick's owner had co-workers that all gave funds for his care and worked to find a rescue group that would take him in, care for him and find him a new forever home. The concept of the Chadwick Fund was born and kitties brought into rescues whose owners can no longer care for them are often referred to as Chadwick Kitties. The fund is used now by several rescue groups not only to raise money for awareness and education but also to help care for and place these "Chadwick" kitties and dogs that are left behind when their owners pass away or must move to assisted living homes.
The Chadwick Fund accepts contributions toward re-homing these special animals that have been left behind when their owners are no longer able to care for them. We have accepted cats when owners die without making provisions and when owners are suddenly unable to continue to care for their animals such as being admitted to a long term nursing facility. There are other circumstances where the process of accepting a Chadwick Fund animal is an appropriate avenue to bring a cat into a rescue and these are reviewed on a case by case basis.
While Chadwick Funds are primarly local, there are several scattered throughout the US where friends of Calvin's Paws volunteers have started them in their own rescues and shelters.
Even when an animal is well enough and does not have medical problems, it typically it takes more than $250 to rehome that animal. It's not unusual for these animals to quit eating and to develop a dangerous, often fatal liver syndrome. Elderly animals, animals who were strongly bonded to their owners, and of course animals with medical issues fare the worst and the costs are much higher to re-home them. To help these animals, we place them in special volunteer foster homes that have experience with grieving animals. As an interim, funds may be needed to board an animal for a few days until a foster arrangement can be made. However, most of the funding is used for the direct medical care of these cats as we find that many cats need to be brought up to date medically. Funds that are left over (and there never are any) are used to provide educational materials to the public.
At Calvin's Paws, our "Chadwick Fund" is more of a concept and an educational tool to inform the public about the importance of making arrangements for pets in the event an owner is unable to care for them. Donations to the Chadwick Fund that are part of bringing a cat into the program are nearly always used entirely to bring that cat up to date. But the concept continues to allows us to educate the public about the need for making arrangements for pets.
Calvin's Paws is dedicated to eliminating the tragic euthanization of healthy pets due to the death or incapacity of their caregivers.
The decision to help a "Chadwick Kitty" fits with our overall mission toward elminating euthanasia of healthy animals in shelters.
IF YOU FIND IT HARD TO THINK ABOUT LIFE WITHOUT YOUR PET, IMAGINE YOUR PET’S LIFE WITHOUT YOU.
What can you do?
- Download this emergency contact card to carry in your wallet. Carry this card with you so that someone will know you have animals at home and have information on who to contact.
- Make plans for your animal in your will. Consider making donations to a rescue group/charity ( a bequest) that agrees to take in your pets and place them in suitable homes. Talk with the rescue to see what their standards are for placement and to ensure that they have knowledgeable volunteers that know how to work with grieving animals. Determine what a year or two of care for each animal will be and make certain that at least that amount is set as a donation or bequest.
- Support your local rescue groups by donating toward their Chadwick Fund.
- See more information on planning for your pets at: www.2ndchance4pets.org
More than 800 pets were orphaned after the terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001 because their owners had not made appropriate plans for their pets. It took rescuers two weeks to find one cat, Sophie, after her 32-year-old owner was killed.
Carol de Olloqui
Calvin's Paws
cdeolloqui1@gmail.com or
cdeolloqui@bellsouth.net
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
- Gandhi
For more details on how Marley's Cat Tales can be included in your estate planning or take in your pet when you cannot care for them, please contact Carol at cdeolloqui1@gmail.com. For more information on how your rescue group can start a Chadwick Fund, please contact cdeolloqui1@gmail.com.
