How Friends Forever® Works
Ensure that your best friend has a bright future ahead with Friends Forever®
Regardless of whether your beloved companion is a dog, cat, bird, or rabbit Oregon Humane can help you plan for their welfare should you become incapacitated or pass away.
In Oregon, as in most states, you cannot leave money directly to your pets. However, by enrolling in Friends Forever,® you have our promise to immediately receive, care for, and find new loving homes for your surviving pet(s).
Enrollment in Friends Forever® is predicated on a gift from your estate, as well as an annual donation of $120 or $10/month (or more), to Oregon Humane. These financial commitments support our programs and services to the community and also make it possible for us to provide top-quality care for your Friends Forever® pet(s).
Thoughtfully plan your estate gift to Oregon Humane. This may take some time. Then, complete the Friends Forever® enrollment form and make your annual gift of $120 or $10/month or more.
In 1-2 weeks, you will receive a letter confirming your enrollment from Oregon Humane. Once you receive your materials, file the confirmation paperwork with your other estate documents and inform others of your plan for your pets.
Contact our dedicated Legacy Giving Team if you move, have a change of contact information, or if there are changes to your planned gift. Keep us updated when your pet has a significant health change or when you want to enroll another pet.
Friends Forever® Success Story: Mozart
Tiny Mozart was just two years old when his owner came to the heartbreaking realization that she could no longer care for her cherished dog. His owner’s health was declining, and she knew that Mozart could use a patient, loving home that would shower him with the attention he deserved. Thanks to her forethought, Mozart had been enrolled into the Friends Forever® program, and there was a devoted place for him at Oregon Humane where he could get the care he needed to find a new home.
Still, even with a safe landing pad in place, Mozart arrived at Oregon Humane very nervous and shut down—alligator rolling, snapping, and avoiding staff and volunteers who tried to help him.
Every animal at Oregon Humane receives all the medical care, behavior support, healthy diets, care, and attention they need to thrive—and the path for our Friends Forever animals is no different.
Staff quickly enrolled Mozart into our Behavior Modification program to give him time to compose himself and decompress after his big transition while learning new skills that would help grow his confidence.
The Friends Forever program is instrumental in offering peace of mind to pet families. Not only is there a physical place for their pets to land, and a caring team to guide them, but there is also a robust infrastructure of care available at Oregon Humane that enables our team to go the distance for every animal in our care.
The time in the program worked wonders for Mozart. The symphony of support he received from staff and volunteers helped him tune into his playful, sweet side.
Once warmed up, Mozart turned out to be a playful puppy who loves to be in a lap or carried around. It wasn’t long before this note-worthy little pup found the right next home for him—finally fulfilling his previous owner’s wishes for a bright and vibrant future for her most trusted companion.
Frequently Asked Questions
In all states, money can only be left to persons and organizations, and cannot be left directly to pets. Instead, a caregiver for the pet can be designated and, if desired, a sum of money provided for the animal’s care. Special planning is needed when naming a guardian for your pet. It can be difficult to guarantee that at some point in the future the guardian will be able to accept responsibility for your pet or use the money you’ve provided specifically for their care.
Oregon Humane was founded in 1868, and we’ve been finding compatible and loving homes for pets ever since. We’ve had more than 150 years to refine our adoption process to carefully match adopters with pets who fit well within their lifestyle. Friends Forever® promises Oregon Humane will stand ready to receive your pets compassionately, comfort them during the transition, follow your care instructions, provide any needed medical care and find them loving homes as quickly as possible.
Whether your pet is young and healthy or older with special needs, Oregon Humane is committed to providing exceptional care and finding loving homes for all. Oregon Humane has a long history of caring for ill or injured pets. Our on-site, state-of-the-art animal medical center provides all necessary medications and therapeutic treatments. Oregon Humane’s successful and nationally recognized adoption program ensures that Friends Forever® pets are matched with a loving new family who can provide the specialized care a pet may need.
Your plan can be as unique as your pets. The program can be customized to meet the needs of your particular situation. Just let us know if Friends Forever® is the primary or secondary plan for each specific pet.
To make certain your will meets legal requirements and to ensure that your wishes will be followed, wills should be created with the assistance of an attorney. To direct a bequest or other planned gift to Oregon Humane, we advise the following language:
Federal EIN: 93-0386880
With offices at: 1067 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 (this address applies to our Salem campus as well)
For the benefit of: Oregon Humane
Once these provisions are drafted, we recommend Friends Forever® participants have Oregon Humane review any sections of their will that pertain to pets. There is no charge for this service and the decision is entirely up to you, but experience has taught us that it’s better to identify possible problems while there is still the opportunity to make corrections.
Our staff will gladly meet with you and your advisor to discuss the Friends Forever® program and/or planned giving options. However, Oregon Humane cannot provide tax or legal advice. We strongly recommend you use the services of an estate planning professional who can analyze your situation and advise you accordingly. Oregon Humane can provide you with detailed analyses including revenue projections and the tax effects of various gift options such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts.
Be assured that any information you share with Oregon Humane remains confidential. We do not sell, trade, or otherwise share donor information. Should your pets be received by Oregon Humane, your Friends Forever® information will only be available to authorized personnel so we can immediately begin providing the quality care you want your pets to receive. The only information we share with your pet’s new family is the Pet Profile and the “Letter to New Caregiver” you provide.
In 1994, Oregon Humane developed Friends Forever® so that pet owners could ensure the well-being of pets who outlive them. The program is predicated on the pet owner remembering Oregon Humane in their estate plan. By designating Oregon Humane in a will (or other estate document) and by making a planned gift, Oregon Humane will immediately receive, care for and find new homes for your surviving pets.
Oregon Humane carefully screens potential adopters through a one-on-one counseling process. By completing the Pet Profile form, you will be providing Oregon Humane with vital information about your pet’s lifestyle and care needs. Essential information about dietary preferences, medical history, veterinary contacts, and behavioral history will ensure your animal companion is placed with the best possible match. In addition, the new caregiver will be provided with all the details so that your pet’s transition can be as smooth as possible.
Yes. When new pets enter your life, submit a Pet Profile form for each new pet. We encourage participants to keep their Friends Forever® files up to date.
There are many options for gifts that will qualify your pets for enrollment. See the “Your Planned Gift” page for the most common options. While we encourage participants to leave a generous gift to support Oregon Humane’s future, there is no minimum gift amount required. We want everyone who desires to make a plan for their pets to be able to participate.
In 1999, Governor Kitzhaber signed into law the Oregon Humane sponsored SB-601, which exempts pets from the probate process. This ensures pets can be quickly transferred into our care for placement in a new home.
Friends Forever® is available to anyone living in the continental United States. Distance is not an obstacle; it just takes some planning. The person administering your estate should contact Oregon Humane and be prepared to coordinate and be responsible for any expenses related to the transportation of your pets. Note: If you are located in a Second Chance partner service area, Oregon Humane may be able to assist with transport.
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(503) 802-6743
