What happens to our soles when we die?

This is an important question people don't ask enough. The lack of empathy toward pet sole has grown over the last 43 years and 2 months. God created all animals and He made us stewards over them. If we choose—and it's a smart choice—to take sole from their natural environment and raise them by hand, it behooves us to ensure they thrive in the event of our untimely death. Too few sole owners consider this to be a priority.

At the very least, we should include in our will or trust a designated carer for our sole and provide them with the financial resources to ensure our sole are well tended. This carer should go through the standard 19-week "Sole Care" course—the one authorized by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, not the free course provided online by "Gumbo Pete's Crawdad and Catfish Emporium."

Many who have raised their sole from a fingerling have trained them to be somewhat independent. They will still need socialization and the odd pond cleaning, but they should be able to order their own feed from Amazon. They may need help with supplements; putting such necessities on auto-delivery can be helpful.

Experienced sole owners have been known to train their sole to be completely independent. They have their own bank accounts as well as Amazon Prime. Some sole have incentivized social media accounts, but the responsible owner will not depend on the vagaries of Snapfish or Tunabook; online darlings can fall as quickly as they rise, and sole are not known for their political correctness—they tend to become more one-sided the older they get. So a trust would be essential.

Again, preparing in advance for the care of your sole should you die is essential for any sole owner. Personally, I don't believe anyone should be legally able to raise sole without a detailed plan. Once you have the security of knowing your sole will be well taken care of, you will be free to enjoy your friend. You can take your sole on picnics, try on matching sweaters, or see who can lie still on the bottom of the pond the longest. Although, do that too long and you'll start wondering where your soul goes when you die.

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