With regard to the short-term care for your pet, many experts recommend carrying a “Pet Card” on your person (for example, in your wallet) to provide necessary information for emergency personnel to inform your caretaker of any emergency.

You should also keep a file or "Pet Information Sheet" with a broad scope of information necessary for any caretaker to take over for the care of your pet, including:

• Identification of the pet.  Even if your caretaker is able to identify your pet, as a practical matter, including information identifying your pet is important for other reasons that may not seem so obvious.  First of all, if your pet is stolen or lost, providing a documented means of identification may be useful, and in some cases, necessary.  Second, believe it or not, there are unscrupulous caretakers out there.  One oft-quoted story involves a caretaker for a black dog who would acquire a replacement when each previous dog died in order to continue receiving benefits from an estate.  There are several ways to avoid this potential problem, including the appointment of a trustee as a watchdog (so to speak) over your caretaker and the caretaking funds and setting forth a reliable means of identifying the pet.  (See What Is a “Pet Trust”?)  In any case, the means of identification depends on the circumstances.  For example, if your pet has unique and immutable markings, then a picture and a description of those markings should be sufficient.  On the other hand, if your pet is indistinguishable from other members of its species or subspecies, you should consider obtaining a DNA identification or micro chipping the pet and disclosing the identifying information to the caretaker, the vet, and any other parties.  (See More Information on Identification Methods).

• Detailed instructions for care of the pet.  Even if you make no other provisions for your pet, you should always document detailed instructions for the care of your pet.  These instructions should address:  (1) feeding the pet, including timing, frequency, and type of food (or foods) allowed and prohibited; (2) medications, including the dosage, the purpose, the location, and any special directions for administration; (3) physical accommodations, including where the pet sleeps, where the pet walks, etc.; (4) special physical, medical, and emotional needs; and (5) behavioral considerations (e.g., whether one pet gets along with another or is not fond of a particular type of person).  You may also specify your wishes for euthanizing (or not euthanizing) your pet in the event that it is suffering from a serious medical condition.  (See http://www.citipets.com/2-articles5.cfm for an interesting article on the subject.)

• Veterinary information.  You should provide the name, address, and number of the pet’s regular vet and a copy of the pertinent veterinary examination records, or at very least, a description of past procedures and any medical conditions of the pet.

• Legal documents.  In general, you should keep original legal documents constituting your estate plan in a place where they will be safe, and yet accessible to your designated fiduciaries.  Examples include a safe deposit box at your bank, a safe location in your attorney’s office, or a fire-proof safe in your own house.  In any case, the persons who you trust to carry out your wishes (including, perhaps, your caretaker) should, at very least, have access to the original legal documents, and if appropriate, a copy of each of the document, to ensure that the necessary steps are promptly taken in case of an emergency.