Bequests

Robert G. of Columbus, Ohio got his first dog at age 77. He received a 2-pound fluffy snowball of a schnauzer as a birthday gift from his sister. Robert named the pup Maxwell. "He changed my whole life," the retired Ohio State University professor says. "I was living by myself, and Maxwell gave me something to be responsible for. He really is my best friend. I love him and he loves me, I can tell."

Now 87, Robert has organized his estate planning to include the care of Maxwell and a dozen nonprofits that he supports. Animal charities are his priority, but what he likes about DBL is the synergy. "Dogs for Better Lives is not just dogs and it's not just people-it's the interaction between the two," he says.

"By supporting Dogs for Better Lives, I'm helping people and helping animals." Robert says he's also attracted to nonprofits that rescue animals.

He relies heavily on Charity Navigator, an independent charity evaluator, to make his donation decisions. He appreciates that DBL has a four-star rating on the site, the highest possible. Charity Navigator assesses the financial health, transparency and accountability of nonprofit organizations. Donors can see the evaluation of how a nonprofit has sustained its programs and services over time and its level of commitment to good governance, best practices and openness with information. DBL has rated four stars for the last seven years.

Age is diminishing his hearing, so Robert appreciates how helpful even untrained Maxwell is for keeping him aware of sounds. He says it reinforces his belief in the importance of trained service dogs to change and even save lives.