Van Tassel’s hosts annual Pet Memorial Day

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — For the dozen or so people who came to mourn a pet at the 4th annual Pet Memorial Day, held Sunday, Sept. 10, at Van Tassel’s Funeral Home, in Bloomfield, the first speaker, Vicky Valvano, of East Rutherford, may have captured the spirit of the day. It was touching, personal and a little irreverent.

“When it comes to animals, you can say the same thing over and over again, it never gets old,” she said.
Valvano said this was true for all animals — dogs, cats, hedgehogs.

“Maybe you can’t take a fish out of water and kiss it,” she said, “but they still affect you.”
She showed a photograph of the love of her life, her dog. Others came with photographs of their deceased pets. All were dogs. These photos were attached to a magnetic board beside a podium as the speakers expressed their loss. Pet owners apologized when overcome by emotions but everyone understood. Glass beads were handed out as physical manifestations of tear drops. One woman said her new pet was sent to her, from heaven, by the deceased pet. She was in a room of believers.

The featured speaker was a Bloomfield attorney, Shana Siegel. Siegel explained the importance of considering the care of a beloved pet if the owner becomes infirmed or died.
“What happens to your pet if something happens to you?” she asked.
Siegel said to make sure that the person being willed your pet wants it.

“I had some thought of animals needing homes after listening to the news about Hurricane Irma,” she said. “Five things have to be in place.”
First of all, Siegel said, an owner needed an animal card in their wallet. In the event a pet owner is incapacitated, a rescue worker would know there is a pet in their life. The card should name a caretaker, provide contact information, and as many as a dozen alternate caretakers.

Secondly, a pet profile should be available. This would have basic information about the type of animal, its name, diet and veterinarian.
Thirdly, the person should have power of attorney. This would allow a person other than the owner to care for a pet.
“This is while you’re still alive, in the event of a catastrophe,” Siegel said.

A sign on the door of the owner’s dwelling is the fourth necessity. This would alert first responders that a pet is in the house.
Lastly, Siegel said plans should be in place for the pet’s care in the event of the owner’s death.

“Make sure of the person who will take the pet and have several alternative,” she said. “Also, do you need to provide funds?”
She said it was better to have two people when providing funds. One person would be designated to take care of the pet; the other would administer the funds.

Having two people involved with the pet’s care was important, according to Siegel, because it helps in ensure that the caretaker is not just keeping an animal for the money. She said a caretaker, if they also controlled the funds, might keep a sick animal for the money when humanely the animal should be put down. Siegel provided a handout on the usefulness of trusts. It said, in part:

“When people think of pet trusts, they think of extreme cases like Michael Jackson leaving $2 million to Bubbles the Chimpanzee. Or Leona Helmsley leaving $12 million to Trouble the Maltese. However, it is far more common for people to leave modest amounts to ensure that caretakers have the funds for the pet’s care.”

“A trust has the advantage of providing care while you’re alive,” Siegel said, “in the event of a catastrophe or being incapacitated.”
Siegel said a pet trust, in NJ, can last no longer than 21 years. A “pay on death” account could also be established should a pet owner die and funds are immediately needed for the pet’s care.

After she had finished her talk, stones were distributed to audience member and the names of pets were written on them. Everyone then went outside to the pet memorial site along the driveway near Belleville Avenue. Here, the owner of the funeral home, Izabela Van Tassel, had planted three white birch trees for the first Pet Memorial Day. People formed a circle and joined hands to say a short prayer. Van Tassel then offered her guests coffee and cake.

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