Ugh

[FD26]

An acquantince of mine just posted on FB that she's very sad to have had to put her dog down today. Turns out she had him put down because he'd eaten something and needed an operation that was going to cost $1,100 and they "just didn't have the money lying around". She also says "it's a lot of money for a dog" I know not everyone sees animals the same way I do but I can't help but feel incredibly appaled. To make matters worse the dog was only 6 months old. UGHHH just had to vent, sorry...

Edited March 19, 2010 by FD26

[Edslaine]

How sad. Poor baby I would have paid it but you're right not everyone sees animals the same way we do.

[Dame Aussie]

I'd lie, beg and steal to get the money, and I agree I don't think that is a lot at all.

So sad

Let's just hope this person doesn't go out and get a new dog

[kirst_goldens]

hrmm i wish i had known earlier! u can go to the RSPCA and plead ur guts out and they will do what they can and put money towards the operation - sometimes they will make u sign over the dog and readopt it but her adoption is only about 250 bucks so its cheaper though i wouldnt reccomend this option unless u trusted the person u were dealing with - i have known a few people to follow this though and all have their babies back safe and happy and have all now got pet insurance lesson learned the hard way

[~Shepherd~]

The poor people are probably feeling like shit. Not everyone can afford the expense, and it may have been ongoing.

Have you got all the facts or are you just interpreting one comment? Not everyone has assets or friends and family to borrow from in the bank account was low.

[FD26]

The poor people are probably feeling like shit. Not everyone can afford the expense, and it may have been ongoing.

Have you got all the facts or are you just interpreting one comment? Not everyone has assets or friends and family to borrow from in the bank account was low.

Interpreting, but it seems pretty clear cut to me and she hadn't mentioned anything about it before. Fair enough not everyone has assets, but why get a pet if you can't afford to pay it's medical bills if something happens?? You wouldn't adopt a child with that logic..

[~Shepherd~]

The poor people are probably feeling like shit. Not everyone can afford the expense, and it may have been ongoing.

Have you got all the facts or are you just interpreting one comment? Not everyone has assets or friends and family to borrow from in the bank account was low.

Interpreting, but it seems pretty clear cut to me and she hadn't mentioned anything about it before. Fair enough not everyone has assets, but why get a pet if you can't afford to pay it's medical bills if something happens?? You wouldn't adopt a child with that logic..

Because things happen to people out of their control. Humans have help services and Government handouts. With animals they do not. I know I will never be in the position this person has been in due to strong family support.

[tlc]

Poor Puppy, his only crime was eating something that had obvioulsy been left where it should not have been!!

I would not have heaps of money lying around to pay for an expensive operation but I would find it, I'd take out a loan if I had to. But I am very lucky to have a great vet that allows me a running tab!!

I think there are just lots of people out there that don't look upon thier dogs as part of thier family they are just a dog to them.

[FD26]

The poor people are probably feeling like shit. Not everyone can afford the expense, and it may have been ongoing.

Have you got all the facts or are you just interpreting one comment? Not everyone has assets or friends and family to borrow from in the bank account was low.

Interpreting, but it seems pretty clear cut to me and she hadn't mentioned anything about it before. Fair enough not everyone has assets, but why get a pet if you can't afford to pay it's medical bills if something happens?? You wouldn't adopt a child with that logic..

Because things happen to people out of their control. Humans have help services and Government handouts. With animals they do not. I know I will never be in the position this person has been in due to strong family support.

Yea, but it's reasonable to say with a pet that something will at some stage happen out of your control which is why you plan for it by insuring your pet or having a contingency if needed. It just breaks my heart, for such a small amount, and turns out they could have done a payment plan if they'd paid half straight away! $550!!!!! That's just an insane amount to kill your pet over, in my opinion.

[Okami]

I feel incredibly sad for the poor puppy

But I don't know if I think it's right to judge the owners... We don't know them, their situation, or how they feel about this emotionally....

Personally I would do absolutely everything in my power to save my dogs. Who knows maybe they exhausted all their options before coming to this very sad decision too

I agree with Aussie3 I hope they don't "replace" the dog until they are better able to deal with the expense

[FD26]

Turns out it was with the RSPCA too, UGH just makes me madder! Think it's letter writing time.

[FD26]

I feel incredibly sad for the poor puppy

But I don't know if I think it's right to judge the owners... We don't know them, their situation, or how they feel about this emotionally....

Personally I would do absolutely everything in my power to save my dogs. Who knows maybe they exhausted all their options before coming to this very sad decision too

I agree with Aussie3 I hope they don't "replace" the dog until they are better able to deal with the expense

Oh she was absolutely devo, don't get me wrong...they were very upset about it and I do feel for them because I know it can be a hard decision. But, at the end of the day it was their irresponsibility that got them there in the first place and it's hard to hold my tongue. I did say something to her, too about ensuring she had pet insurance next time, maye not very tactful, but I had to for my own sake.

[kirst_goldens]

not all people are as thoughtfull about the puppy buying process as we all are and dont think about these things beofre a purchase but i dont think we should hold blame on them for this in this harsh manner i feel sorry for them to had to go through this would be terrible at least they know now it isnt a cheap pet to have and im sure many others now know because of their experience and i think that at least it has been a learning experience for many hug to all

Edited March 19, 2010 by kirst_goldens

[Dogsfevr]

Easy to judge people BUT you dont now the facts .

Do you now what survival rate was given with the surgery??

Do you what condition the dog was in when at the vets??

Do you now what long term damage may be there & what the future may hold for the dog??

What did it eat that was there fault?

Im sorry but people say they will beg,borrow or what ever BUT i doubt everyone would without truly understanding the dogs situation at the time.

I would guarantee most people on DOL would have trouble putting money together like this,are they all bad owners??

Dogs should never be disposable BUT i can appropriate that everyone has there own limits & the fact these people took the dog to the vet doesnt exactly equate to being heartless.

After owning 2 dogs that we did everything for i have now decided there is a right thing & wrong thing & the dogs best interest comes first .

Also having a dog that ate something & no money spared & dying 2 days latter haemorrhaging to an awful death i would never judge anyone without the facts

[FD26]

Easy to judge people BUT you dont now the facts .

Do you now what survival rate was given with the surgery??

Do you what condition the dog was in when at the vets??

Do you now what long term damage may be there & what the future may hold for the dog??

What did it eat that was there fault?

Im sorry but people say they will beg,borrow or what ever BUT i doubt everyone would without truly understanding the dogs situation at the time.

I would guarantee most people on DOL would have trouble putting money together like this,are they all bad owners??

Dogs should never be disposable BUT i can appropriate that everyone has there own limits & the fact these people took the dog to the vet doesnt exactly equate to being heartless.

After owning 2 dogs that we did everything for i have now decided there is a right thing & wrong thing & the dogs best interest comes first .

Also having a dog that ate something & no money spared & dying 2 days latter haemorrhaging to an awful death i would never judge anyone without the facts

No, I get that it doesn't always make sense. We've had to put a cat down because he had nuerological problems that we decided not to see a specialist for because it would have cost thousands and thousands and there was a high chance it was genetic and untreatable anyway. He was in absolute agony for weeks, and I stopped going to uni to nurse him, in the end it wasn't right to keep him alive looking for answers and the money did play on our minds, too, sure.

BUT this was $1400 down the track and the way her situation has come off is that this was it, a one off $1100 that could have been put on a payment plan and nothing more to it, that's what really bothers me. She's even said they can't afford insurance, and that's what $40 a month? It just really rubs me the wrong way. I've had to make hard choices with pets, but that to me isn't even a choice - not 6 months in when your situation hasn't changed anyway.

Edited March 19, 2010 by FD26

[Red Fox]

Because things happen to people out of their control. Humans have help services and Government handouts. With animals they do not. I know I will never be in the position this person has been in due to strong family support.

Well not always. I had to have surgery 2 years ago> I wont go into what or why as it is not relevent but it was urgent and I didn't have a choice in the matter. It cost me almost $10,000 and I had to raise that money myself.

Pets are a responsibility and if you dont have the money you shouldn't have one. But it is understandable if they made that choice out of consideration for the puppies long term health rather than the money side of it.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Agree with showdog, sometimes there are other factors.

It depends too on perceptions of ownership. A lot of the general public have no idea of the real cost of fixing something like a foreign body until they are placed in that position and handed the price estimate.

Going back about 16 years we had a young cat that we adopted from Animal Aid and developed diabetes due to an insulinoma, my parents spent over $500 trying to stabilise and diagnose the condition on one wage with a mortgage and 2 kids in early high school education. Luckily they could also pay it off but really, there is a limit to the money families can pull out of nowhere.

If they had have asked my grandparents for a loan we probably would have never heard the end of it!!

Now having had a few more animals and us kids all grown up earning our own money my parents have a no expense spared kind of attitude once upon a time they just didn't think that way.

Edited March 19, 2010 by Staff'n'Toller

[Snout Girl]

About 2 months ago Bert needed surgery on his airways 2 days after we had him desexed and 1 week after we had seen an allergy specialist (quite high costs involved).

the surgery wasnt emergency, but strongly recommended to happen ASAP.

It cost $1500 (on top of the $150 odd for desexing and $500 odd for allergy specialist, tests and medications).

we had the money, but it was our 'living expenses' money.

i went to aldi and bought bags and bags of .79c pasta and we lived on it for weeks.

i cancelled a hair appointment, and a trip to see a specialist myself (wasnt urgent).

we didnt use the air conditioning to save $$ on power and completely cut out anything that wasnt a necessary 'basic' (ie soft drink)

i cant fathom not doing everything in ones power to provide their pet with the veteniary treatment they need.

saying that, i dont know the situation so i cant comment on it personally, but as a general rule it baffles me.

[~Shepherd~]

Because things happen to people out of their control. Humans have help services and Government handouts. With animals they do not. I know I will never be in the position this person has been in due to strong family support.

Well not always. I had to have surgery 2 years ago> I wont go into what or why as it is not relevent but it was urgent and I didn't have a choice in the matter. It cost me almost $10,000 and I had to raise that money myself.

Pets are a responsibility and if you dont have the money you shouldn't have one. But it is understandable if they made that choice out of consideration for the puppies long term health rather than the money side of it.

You should move to Victoria then, I have had 2 emergency operations and havent paid a cent other than our hefty taxes.

When Squid was violently ill, I rushed him to the vets. His mouth was blue so they suspected internal bleading. I told them to open him and fix it. That was over $1000. They then told me he had cancers covering his spleen, I told them to pull it out. $1600. They did, then they told me after all this he had no more than 3 weeks to live. I told them to PTS. $100. I found the money then took my dead dog home and buried him. I should have PTS without removing his Spleen.

When he was a puppy I brought him home with Parvo. Had him for only one afternoon then, $2500 later I took my beautiful boy home and loved his guts out for 8 years, but I was a working young person with no responsibilities. Now I have a family of 3 kids and one income. I wouldnt spend that money, but I wouldnt take a pup without knowing its history either. You live and learn.

If a dog is in terrible pain, it needs to be treated. At least they did that, even if it was in a way that disgusts you.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Because things happen to people out of their control. Humans have help services and Government handouts. With animals they do not. I know I will never be in the position this person has been in due to strong family support.

Well not always. I had to have surgery 2 years ago> I wont go into what or why as it is not relevent but it was urgent and I didn't have a choice in the matter. It cost me almost $10,000 and I had to raise that money myself.

Pets are a responsibility and if you dont have the money you shouldn't have one. But it is understandable if they made that choice out of consideration for the puppies long term health rather than the money side of it.

You should move to Victoria then, I have had 2 emergency operations and havent paid a cent other than our hefty taxes.

Emergencies and Urgent can be two different things though.

I could have had free surgery in the public system but wait 12mths, to have surgery with a surgeon I didn't know, and possibly cop being back on the list in 6mths if they didn't have enough specialist knowledge to fix my problem.

My other option was to be able to pre-book my surgery, within 3 weeks, with a specialist that is published several times on my condition and travels overseas to attend symposiums on it, and I would be assured of a much better outcome, but I would be $3500.00 poorer for the priviledge.

I chose the latter and I still pay hefty taxes....