Dog Scheme Aims To Put Owners’ Minds At Rest

Have you ever thought about what would happen to your beloved dog if you passed away or become seriously ill and were unable to look after it?

Canine charity the Dogs Trust is offering a free service to put your mind at rest and ensure your four-legged friend will be well looked after.

They promise to give your pet all the care it needs and try to find a loving home if they possibly can.

Owners who are interested in the scheme just need to fill in a simple online form, which includes the name of a “Dog Guardian”, a trusted relative, neighbour or friend who will sign ownership over to the Dogs Trust when the time comes.

The charity will then house your dog in your area – the nearest rehoming centre for god owners living on the Tees Mutual patch is at Hill House Farm, Hill House Lane, Sadberge, Darlington.

Using the information you have provided on the form they say they will then ensure your pet is healthy and happy.

“We’ll do all we can to find a responsible, caring new owner for your dog, who can give them all the love and care you currently do,” the charity says.

“In the unlikely event that we cannot find your dog a home, we’ll look after them for the rest of their life because we never put down a healthy dog.”

All dogs in the charity’s care are given all the love and care they need in high quality surroundings.

Remember to ask permission from your Dog Guardian and provide their phone number so they can be contacted if the need arises.

Once your application has been reviewed, your Canine Care Card will be sent out to you ready to be filled in and carried around with you in your purse or wallet.

It’s also a good idea to add instructions to any will you have made saying you have chosen the Dogs Trust to take care of your pet when you die.

For more information or if you have any questions, call the Dogs Trust on 0207 837 0006.

Click here to apply for your Canine Care Card.

I took out my first policy years ago because my partner’s family were with Tees Mutual. My partner pays £24 a month for a policy that also covers my son and I pay £20 a month. It means you’re not leaving all your funeral debts to your family when you’re not here. My agent, Andrea, is fantastic.

Wendy Kirk

43, shop assistant, Thornaby

I’ve had a Whole of Life for years and I and took out a Savings Policy so my son will have something when I pass on and I also get some money back when I’m 60. I wouldn’t want to think of anyone leaving debts to me when they died, so I wouldn’t want to do it to my own family. I wish I’d started a policy years ago, but you don’t think about it when you’re younger.

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52, Hemlington

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50, house-husband, Middlesbrough

If anything happens to me, my family wouldn’t be able to afford to pay to bury me. Years ago there were lots of insurance calling to the door, but Tees Mutual is the only firm still doing it now. Allison, my agent, is just like one of us and it’s handy having somebody coming to the house every week.

Carol Frost

69, Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough

My wife’s mother started a policy years ago and I decided I’d rather not leave big debts to my children and so I’d take one out myself. It’s not a very nice thing to leave for them to deal with, is it? I pay a fiver a week to make sure there’s enough to bury me when the time comes. They’ve been smashing and my caller is absolutely brilliant.

David Reed

63, Middlesbrough

We’d only had our policies for about 18 months when my wife Marion died suddenly, just a fortnight after we came back from holiday. She was only 53. Our collector, Alison, made everything as easy as possible. She brought the paperwork to the house and we got the cheque for £5,300 the next day. That made a huge difference because we knew we had the money to pay for Marion’s funeral service and burial. Our family were very pleased with how they looked after us.

Paul Bird

59, South Bank

Tees Mutual does not provide financial advice. If you are in any doubt as to whether a policy is suitable for you, you should contact an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) for advice. An IFA may charge for providing such advice and you should confirm any cost beforehand. We are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service, whose website address is www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

Tees Mutual is a trading name of The Kensington Friendly Collecting Society Limited, which is an incorporated Friendly Society under the 1992 Friendly Societies Act No. 79COL. KFCSL is Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. KFCSL’s Financial Services Register number is 110058.

The registered address of Tees Mutual and its subsidiary, Tees Mutual Services Limited, is 1-3 Kensington Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, TS5 6AL.

Tees Mutual, 1-3 Kensington Road, Middlesbrough SE16 3QT +441642850022 enquiries@teesmutual.co.uk