What should be included in release letters for vests and wallets?

[Kirsten]

Suppose the worst happens.  You are separated from your service dog by injury and are unable to advocate or make decisions on his behalf.  You can prepare by making others aware of what you want done.  You can arrange backup handlers to take custody and include release forms so your vet can perform needed procedures.

Let's brainstorm contingencies for the different things we should take into account in creating instructions or releases to carry in our service dogs' vests, in our wallets, and to keep on file at our vet's office.

[Kirsten]

(Note:  ideas from this thread will probably be compiled into a form which can be published on the main site so anyone in need can down load it and fill in the blanks for their own situation)

[Roxie]

Name and stuff, allergies, Dr., SD name, who to call to come and get the SD, instructions on what  to do with SD, SD vet # and vax records, friend or family to contact, organ donor, do not resuscitate, general notarized release of information form.

Roxie

[blkpanther0001]

a list of basic commands or where to find the list at home (or a copy at vets) so the person taking care of the dog will know how to get them to potty, eat, etc... till the appropriate person can come get the dog. along with a list of the dogs vet#, rabies # and other pertinent shot records including any type of flea/tick meds they are on, emergency contact number for both you and the dog (nearest relative, friend, vet, emergency vet etc...).any allergies your dog has to food, meds etc...., type of food they are eating at home.

On hand at vet should be a release form for emergency procedures, emergency contact info for you and at least another person who is capable of making decisions about your dog, along with the above info.  my

[Wolfheartnsoul]

Have you ever looked at the koogapet tags?
They are the size of a stamp and 100mgs of space, they can connect to an online database to store personal info where anyone who finds the tag does not have your address. They have a toll free # finders call. You can store vet records so any vet in an emergency can get vital info.

If you do not want to pay the yearly database fee, the tag still stores 100mgs of info you put on it.

[Spectrum]

Have you ever looked at the koogapet tags?
They are the size of a stamp and 100mgs of space, they can connect to an online database to store personal info where anyone who finds the tag does not have your address. They have a toll free # finders call. You can store vet records so any vet in an emergency can get vital info.

If you do not want to pay the yearly database fee, the tag still stores 100mgs of info you put on it.

Similar to this is "PC Pet ID" which is a waterproof USB drive that goes on the collar like any other tag. It is fairly large. I have one (I won it in the spring), but I don't use it regularly because it is so large, but it might be a good thing to keep in a pack/vest pocket. Since it is physical storage, there is no yearly fee, but you still get the electronic data. The problem is, though, that it is electronic data, and not printed, so you should probably have at the very lease basic contact info and instructions on how to use the USB drive to get more information.

[Rovingrebel]

I think ours would have:
Shiloh responds to traditional Basic Obedience commands, such as come,sit, down, heel. She needs to be on leash when out. She is very comfortable in a kennel/crate and will enter to the command Kennel. Shiloh is a very sweet, sensitive dog who responds best to quiet voices and a soft touch.
Trainer: Fill in blank
Allergies: NONE
Vaccinations: Current
Vet: fill in blank
Emergency contacts: fill in
Thank you for taking care of Shiloh!

[Gretl2009]

I have a business card from Gretl's vet stating that she should be taken to him or to a animal hospital, and not a shelter.  It has the name of her food, the amount she is fed on a daily basis and when.  It has my name, address phone number; as well as my spouse's information.
It reads like this:
Gretl
owner: Christine E...
in case of emergency: XXX-XXX-XXXX
alternate contact: Michael E., XXX-XXX-XXXX
This is a service dog - please do not take her to a shelter - take her to a local animal hospital.  I or my family will take responsibility for payment of fees.
Gretl is on Wellness Large Breed 5 in 1 --- she eats 1 cup per meal, 2x per day. 
She is microchipped - chip is located in left chest area


(her chip migrated after implantation - the vet said no issue there, but it was good to include that information)
I used a typewriter and typed it on the back of her vet's business card; took it to a local staples and had it laminated.  It's in a ziploc plastic bag with the Law Book from IAADP, which is kept in her harness packs. 

Chris and Grets

[Wolfheartnsoul]

I have the pc pet id also but agree it is large for every day use. The koogatag actually has more room for storage (100mg) than the pc pet id (64mgs) dispite its postage stamp size. While it is designed to use with the online service, the 100mgs is on the drive itself so you would not have to use the online service. It's also a single piece where the pc pet id could come unscrewed and the capsule itself come off and be lost.

Personally I think it should have a rubberized tag holder to keep the usb contacts from being exposed especially since rubbing other tags can't be a good thing.

I do also keep an id card in the pack, and another that I keep in her vest so which ever one we use it's already there. Both point to the usb tag for additional info. I also chip my dogs and register with both avid and akc car.

The usb has a read me first document as a txt file that I created, that gives directions (because every pc can open a text file without downloading anything), as well as some of the info also physically stored on the usb as pdf files and a link to download acrobat.

To be honest the koogatag does have it's limitations as far as the forms they provide for you to fill out for it to create a pdf that is stored on the tag itself. I am compiling a list of things I feel should be on the forms for users to answer. I think known allergies and especially medications the dog should not be given unless it is as a last resort should be prominent in the info rather than in the 'other comments' section. Not every vet is up to date on every breed and meds not recomended for them. (sulfa drugs are not good for some breeds)

I can do this myself without their form but the info will not be on the online version which defeats at least part of the point of what makes this tag different. Not everyone who uses one can create additional documents or modify the pdf that you download when the forms are complete. The forms create a pdf file that contains pretty much everything you enter except your personal contact info (their reason being that like a microchip, the company contacts you rather than the person who finds the dog)

None of them are perfect, and I am paranoid so it's just another layer of protection to me.

Anyway back to the topic, I think allergies to food, medications etc. should be included along with the info already suggested.

If your breed has a breed specific bleeding disorder like vWD and you have had the DNA test done the status should be included. With vWD as an example affecteds can bleed out if the vet office is not prepared with either a clotting factor or blood products on hand (or a donor dog).

Also it is important to have an out of area contact in case the entire area is affected and your local friends/neighbors are also unreachable (hurricane, wild fires etc.)

Similar to this is "PC Pet ID" which is a waterproof USB drive that goes on the collar like any other tag. It is fairly large. I have one (I won it in the spring), but I don't use it regularly because it is so large, but it might be a good thing to keep in a pack/vest pocket. Since it is physical storage, there is no yearly fee, but you still get the electronic data. The problem is, though, that it is electronic data, and not printed, so you should probably have at the very lease basic contact info and instructions on how to use the USB drive to get more information.

[bj2circeleb]

Brooke's card has info about her, including name, address, phone numbers, details of 3 emergency contacts, vet contact details, program contact details (they would organise for her to be looked after if necessary) her vaccination details inculding when they were last given, (as all dogs entering any shelter here must be vaccinated immediatley unless they know the dogs vaccination history and I do not need her to be revaccinated!!), when she was last given heartworm and flea treatments and the brands used, the food she eats, and the time of day she normally eats. She has no medical problems so there are none to list. It also lists essential commands like the one she eats on and toilets on, although from exerience this has never been a problem with friends caring for her, as she seems to know that they are different. It does have her microchip and tatoo details and the registers they are on. There are four different microchip registries in Australia and all of our chips must be ISO approved so they can all be read by any reader and all vet clinics by law must have a reader. While by law shelters are required to check chips within 2 hours of the dogs arrival, they have up to 48 hours to check the other registries and I simply am not willing to wait that long, so I have her on all of them!! Breed clubs will care for any dog of there breed and do all they can to rehome such dogs and shelters always contact breed clubs with what they think are purebred dogs. For this reason I do have membership with the labrador club, ($20 per year) and she does have a tag on her collar saying this. I am not too fond of this club as they are beginning to support tether dogs, but I would still rather see Brooke with someone from there, than in a shelter. I do have pet health insurance for her, which is very cost effective in Australia and research does support its cost effectiveness. This is stated in her details as well. The insurance company charges a $100 excess and then they pay the rest and they will pay it directly to the vet clinic themselves.

As I do not have family or friends that i willing to ask to be a medical power of attorney for me, I do not have that. I have however been able to appoint the state as an Enduring Power of financial Attorney and they would automatically take over if I am unalbe to make deisiosn for myself. I have insturctedd them that they are to cover Brooke's vet fees immediately. I am in the process of working out something to organsie for other people to be able to get her treated on my behalf and to authorise them to have her euthanised if need be, as I do not want ther kept alive, just so I can say goodbye, i love her too much for that.

On a side note I do have a will which has her taken care off. The first choice to take her is with the program that she is now accredited with, and they can use her as a service or companion dog. I know that Brooke would not want to be retired, adn she has only turned 5 on friday. The next best thing would be for her to be a skilled compaion/emotional suport animal. The will states that if she is to be rehomed as a pet she is to go to a friend of mine.

[Trilby]

I'm close with my vet. She already knows the limits I go to and that I go holistic first. My main issue is keeping personally tagged on the location on my vet, so whoever acts as middle person can get my SD there if needed. As for the crew who are at home while I'm out, more than one trusted neighbor has access to my home - as I do theirs. They have instructions to call family to take it from there, then they in turn have their own instructions printed out and taped to the inside of my kitchen cabinet (instructions with picture illustrations on how to feed-where the food is located, medication, exercise, and many more, etc.)

[cazza03]

If I'm unable to be there for Horse and it's an emergency, I have Lort Smith's number to call for him, and my Mum and daughter look after him, as their number is in Lort Smith's records. If it's not an emergency but he still needs someone, it has my dad's work number which forwards the call to his mobile phone. My dad won't be pleased about having to have a dog in his work car,  but if he absolutely has to he will.

Mum has a copy of my door key and she can feed him his own food as I buy everything in bulk.