A pet backup-plan checklist
Four things someone would need to step in for your pet, and the one most plans leave out.
If someone had to step in for your pet tomorrow, would they know where the food is, how to get inside, and who to call?
Many people who live alone with a pet have half a plan: a friend with a spare key, or a neighbor who knows the dog's name. This checklist turns that into a whole one. You can do all of it on paper.
1. Someone who has said yes
Pick one or two people who live close enough to get to your home, and ask them directly. "Could you look after my cat if I couldn't get home?" is a different question from assuming they would. A second person helps for the days the first one is away.
2. A way to get in
A spare key, a lockbox code, a door code, a building manager. Write down where it is and anything unusual about it, like a door that sticks or an alarm code.
3. Care instructions in one place
- Food: what, how much, when, and where it is kept
- Medicines and doses
- Your vet's name, phone number and address
- Habits that matter: hides under the bed, can't be let off the leash, scared of the vacuum
- Who to ask if your pet needs care for more than a day
Keep it somewhere your helper can reach without you, such as a shared note they already have.
4. How they would know to check
This is the step most plans leave out. A spare key only helps if someone knows it's time to use it. If you live alone, think about how long it would take for anyone to notice you hadn't been in touch, and agree on something simple: a daily message, a family chat, a regular call.
Where HugsyAlert fits
I'm the founder of HugsyAlert, and step 4 is the piece I'm building it for. You check in; if you miss a check-in and don't respond to reminders, it can alert the people you've chosen, and they can see the care details you've left for your pet. It doesn't replace asking someone (step 1), and it can't promise that anyone will be free to help, which is why the checklist starts there.
Pricing: Free during beta. Planned price after beta: $3/mo (or $29/yr). We'll give 30 days' notice before any charge.
What would you add to this checklist? You can try HugsyAlert, or just use the list above.