You Can Create A Legacy - Even By Honoring a Beloved Pet

Tippy.

That was the name of my first dog. A beautiful black border collie mix with a white-tipped tail and paws. In 1969 we got her from a pound in Melbourne, Fla., when I was 7. She saw me off to elementary school, then college. It wasn’t until my junior year when she passed. It was heart breaking.

Today, well beyond my college years, and having a grandchild with her own pets, the positive impact my first dog had on my life still resonates, well beyond the 12-plus years we had with her. She, in a way, left a legacy. Which pets left their pawprints on your heart?

Donors, too, can have a lasting impact on the lives of others, as they thoughtfully build their own positive legacies in ways meaningful to them. A planned gift is one popular option donors choose to support causes they care about and ensure their wishes are carried out after they are gone. And some planned gifts are created as a way to honor a beloved pet!

A charitable gift in your will, or a bequest, is an easy and flexible way to support the TMH Animal Therapy program — and help future patients and others throughout our community enjoy the comfort of animal therapy. Donors who make a planned gift have their eyes on the future and want to make sure the resources they worked hard for throughout their life continue to do good, well after they are gone.

If you are interested in learning more about a planned gift, please reach out to Anne Munson, TMH Foundation Development Officer, at 850-431-5931, or anne.munson@tmh.org. She will be happy to guide you through the process.

By: Patrick Crowley
Development Officer and Animal Lover