End of Life Plans for You Pets

Zuma’s journey began in 2004, when we rescued our first eight horses. Over the past twenty years, that number has grown to thousands. How is that possible? Eight years ago, we implemented a rescue-in-place safety net program. Through this initiative, we’ve been able to help countless horses—more than we can even track. For us, it’s not about the numbers; it’s about changing the culture surrounding horses.

Many horses find themselves at risk due to circumstances like job losses, moves, or other hardships their guardians face. We intentionally use the word “guardian” instead of “owner” because we believe that we don’t own sentient beings—we care for them. The moment we take an animal into our care, we make a lifelong commitment to them.At Zuma’s, our commitment to the animals in our care extends beyond today. This philosophy is reflected in our end-of-life planning, where every animal under our care is included in our trusts and wills. This ensures that they are always provided for, no matter what. Our responsibility to these animals is for their entire lives.

If you have pets, we encourage you to include their care directives in your own end-of-life trust or will. This guarantees that they never face life in a shelter or, worse, euthanasia due to a lack of resources for their care.

At Zuma’s, each animal is included in the Messenich Family Trust, ensuring their needs are met. The Messenich family has also committed a significant portion of their assets to support the long-term operations of Zuma’s Rescue Ranch.

If you’d like to help sustain Zuma’s mission as part of your own legacy, you can designate a portion of your estate to Zuma’s Rescue Ranch. Simply name Zuma’s Rescue Ranch and include our EIN# 80-0236203 in your trust or will. Your generosity will ensure that our work continues for years to come.