Curious

[chevorne]

I have an acquaintance on facebook whose dog is facing surgery. She messaged me for advice because she says she simply can't afford to pay for it and for reasons she can't go into, cannot loan the money. She said she may have to euthanize him instead.

Couple of weeks later, facebook status update is about her upgrading to the newest android phone and getting her first tablet PC :rolleyes: So I added a comment in that status asking how her dog is. In circumstances like these, yes I truly believe the dog should come before the person!!!! While her dog is in pain and faces death, she is getting herself new phones and computers when she's allegedly broke. I don't approve at all

yes that doesn't sit well at all

I agree totally with that. A very wise old dog breeder said to me once when I asked if he ever got sick of looking after puppies, 'yes sometimes I do, but they did not ask to be born, I made that decision and therefore I will always do my best by them. I try to remember that whenever I am tired or wet or late from work, it is not their fault and I must do the best I can for them. After all I can eat toast all week if I had too, they cannot.

And the buying of the above goodies is a complete disgrace and that person would no longer be my friend. As who wants a friend so selfish and lacking in ethics? OMG must get off my soap box!!!!!!!!!

[**Super_Dogs**]

I have an acquaintance on facebook whose dog is facing surgery. She messaged me for advice because she says she simply can't afford to pay for it and for reasons she can't go into, cannot loan the money. She said she may have to euthanize him instead.

Couple of weeks later, facebook status update is about her upgrading to the newest android phone and getting her first tablet PC :rolleyes: So I added a comment in that status asking how her dog is. In circumstances like these, yes I truly believe the dog should come before the person!!!! While her dog is in pain and faces death, she is getting herself new phones and computers when she's allegedly broke. I don't approve at all

They should be deleted from the 'friend' list. I could not even pretent to like someone who did this.

I knew someone (a friend of a friend) that built a new home and decided that the new yard was not suitable for their dog so they had to get rid of it. They choose the land and house - so wouldn't you make it be suitable??

We took the dog as a trial - but it did not work out. The owners did not leave us a contact number, call and ask how he was going, or thank us for trying. These people stock went down in my book.

The good news is the dog found a great home.

Edited July 1, 2011 by buddy1

[chevorne]

I have an acquaintance on facebook whose dog is facing surgery. She messaged me for advice because she says she simply can't afford to pay for it and for reasons she can't go into, cannot loan the money. She said she may have to euthanize him instead.

Couple of weeks later, facebook status update is about her upgrading to the newest android phone and getting her first tablet PC :rolleyes: So I added a comment in that status asking how her dog is. In circumstances like these, yes I truly believe the dog should come before the person!!!! While her dog is in pain and faces death, she is getting herself new phones and computers when she's allegedly broke. I don't approve at all

They should be deleted from the 'friend' list. I could not even pretent to like someone who did this.

I knew someone (a friend of a friend) that built a new home and decided that the new yard was not suitable for their dog so they had to get rid of it. They choose the land and house - so wouldn't you make it be suitable??

We took the dog as a trial - but it did not work out. The owners did not leave us a contact number, call and ask how he was going, or thank us for trying. These people stock went down in my book.

The good news is the dog found a great home.

They probably went out a bought a more 'suitable' dog for their new yard

[HazyWal]

It is hard to know what's ahead,I was really on the bones of my a*se only a few short years ago but my old RidgyX never went without.I had some LARGE vet bills before I lost the old boy but very fortunate to have a wonderful vet that let me pay them off with whatever I could afford,he knew how much I loved him.I am a lot more prepared now with my two greys.I too have a doggy emergency fund in a term deposit and a credit card that I don't use either(unless of course I just have to have that new collar or coat).I don't have kids so my furkids get the best I can give them.I hope I don't have to eat 2 minute noodles again.

[Atanquin]

I know I don't have kids thank god kids, work, study, horses, cats I think I would die LOL

[Red Fox]

A lot of people I know, often say or tell me they rather be poor to give their dog the best life. Really? Do you think you're giving your dog the best life living that way?

Depends on what you consider to be 'poor' and what your priorities in life are.

If it's going without the luxuries to make ends meet then sure. If it's not being able to afford the very basic necessities (for an extended period of time) then perhaps not.

Dogs aren't cheap though. Everything cost things. Vet bills, food, grooming, worming tablets, training etc.

Is it being fair for you to live that way? It's all admirable that person love and care for that dog that much, but sometimes you have to put yourself before your dog, right?

Again, that depends on your priorities. IMO a dog should be considered to be part of the family and his basic needs ("Vet bills, food, grooming, worming tablets, training etc") should be considered just as important as any other family member.

Wouldn't you want to be in a stable position yourself before taking on a responsible on getting a dog?

Personally yes.

[tlc]

People say to me all the time gee 4 dogs they must cost you a fortune! It really annoys me because more often than not it is peole with children and pets that make these comments. I usually bite my tounge as I am sick of explaining my reasoning. We have no kids, I work my OH works and we can afford things for us and the dogs. If there did come a time and we fell on hard times, I would probly see the dogs right before myself. And under no circumstances would they ever be rehomed or go to a shelter, you would have to pry them out of my cold dead hands before that would ever happen. I do understand circumstances change and everyone does things differently.

Interesting subject interesting answers!!

[W Sibs]

thanks for answering guys

intersting answers so far

[coogie]

cost of owning a canine

Wouldn't you want to be in a stable position yourself before taking on a responsible on getting a dog?

We were stable until we got the dogs

Seriously though, we have no children so probably can afford to treat the dogs a bit more. I do have to say that in the last 12 months I have noticed everything seems to have gone up a lot. We have started to shop around a lot more for our groceries and we think more before spending on "luxuries". The upside of the dogs has been that we do more together and spend a lot more time outside and in the fresh air at weekends.Plus we don't tend to take expensive trips as we usually go up North to my sister as we can take the dogs with us.

I would definitely go without if we needed to pay a big vet bill or something. Issy will need some more surgery on her legs in the future so we put some by for that,although she is insured we will still need to find a few thousand up front. I think having had to live without dogs for a number of years I am so grateful to have them now I would willingly give up a lot of things before I would see them without.

[GeckoTree]

I would not eat baked beans and bread for a week for any reason. I can buy a lot of really good staple foods for the 20 bucks a week it costs in bread and canned beans averaging 3 meals a day.

Stuff that.

[biker girl]

People say to me all the time gee 4 dogs they must cost you a fortune! It really annoys me because more often than not it is peole with children and pets that make these comments. I usually bite my tounge as I am sick of explaining my reasoning. We have no kids, I work my OH works and we can afford things for us and the dogs. If there did come a time and we fell on hard times, I would probly see the dogs right before myself. And under no circumstances would they ever be rehomed or go to a shelter, you would have to pry them out of my cold dead hands before that would ever happen. I do understand circumstances change and everyone does things differently.

Interesting subject interesting answers!!

Same here too, tlc!! Many years ago, and I mean many years ago (25yrs) one of my Cardigan Corgis needed back surgery, I was still living at home, however only working pt. Though the surgery wasn't life saving, Mitch needed the op for mobility and back then I was struggling to find the $1500 upfront! Luckily my sister paid for the op & I paid her back $50 a week till it was paid off.

Most recently our little Xbred dog Scout needed emergency surgery, which she survived, though there was the bill at the end of the 3 weeks vet care to take care of! Even if both our tax cheques hadn't been coming in, we would have sold something to "raise" the money for her.

We are lucky that because we don't have kids, we can & will cut costs from our own budgets to pay for what our dogs need.

Even when we were planning on moving down to Tassie, people asked whether we were taking the dogs with us............................umm yeah!!

A girlfriend & her hubby emigrated to Aust and bought their two dogs, for them like us, it was never a question of why or even how much, it just is

[Muttaburra]

[url="http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/222826-costs-of-Is it being fair for you to live that way? It's all admirable that person love and care for that dog that much, but sometimes you have to put yourself before your dog, right?

I have a choice. My dog's don't. If I had to go without to pay for their care, I would do so.

It's not always the ideal, hopefully we do our best, we take on the responsibility, of our animals, and in a perfect and functional world we follow it through.

Let's pray for that.

[OSoSwift]

Well, yes I would do what was needed for my dogs, but there is a line for me and while I am happy to go without, I don't think my kids should have to for my desire to have dogs.

Now that does not mean that the dogs would not get what they needed because Junior wanted all the latest Gizmos, BUt if I was on the bones of my backside and barely ahd enough to feed us, then my kids would come first, if I half starve so be it.

Also I would not take on a dog (or three) unless I was reasonably stable. Yep things can go to poo, but I would not take on animals of any sort if their basic medical and feeding needs could not be met without having to tighten purse strings. I would not like to keep my dogs in a situation where there may just have to be hard decisions made because I just was not financial enough.

This is a big part of the reason I have pet insurance, I don't have it for the old dog and I wish I did!! The younger two will always have it, and any others that happen to come to live.

[espinay2]

cost of owning a canine

A lot of people I know, often say or tell me they rather be poor to give their dog the best life. Really? Do you think you're giving your dog the best life living that way?

Depends how you define 'poor'. Money doesnt guarantee that a dog will have a good life (and I have seen enough 'rich family' dogs to know that a family having money doesnt guarantee a dog will be well cared for). And people can be poor in funds but have a rich, full and fulfilled life. Some of the richest people I have known are the ones with the least money.

As mentioned it can be all about priorities too. We dont own a big flat screen TV. You have no idea how many people comment on our old big but faithful TV we were given for free when our older big but faithful decided to give up and go to TV heaven. What is the big deal? It has a good picture and plays the same shows. In our case we could afford a new big fancy TV is we wanted one....but we dont need it. We would much rather spend the money on something else. One of our higher priorities just happens to be our animals. They give us far more entertainment than a new TV would.

I have lived through some tougher times in the past too. It didnt even cross my mind not to make the dogs a priority. In those tougher times they were in fact one of the only things that kept me going.

And many people dont know how to spend to save. As mentioned - baked beans and bread can be an expensive way to eat. You can eat very well and very healthily for the same amount you would spend on a weeks worth of baked beans and bread. And dogs can eat and live well on a small budget too (not talking medical emergencies here which can be unpredictable no matter how prepared we think we are). But it is a skill that less and less people are learning these days.

Naturally, I agree that you do need to be in a stable position before taking on the responsibility of a pet - but 'stable' and financially well off are not the same thing.

Edited July 2, 2011 by espinay2

[W Sibs]

Thanks for the reply guys. There is a lot of good points and it has got me thinking

[aussielover]

I basically spend most of my spare money (and time) on Mindy. It is what makes me happy though.

Would I go without food?, well no, probably not, I don't see how that would benefit either of us, as if I couldn't even afford food for myself I would not really be in a good position to look after her as well. I am lucky that I know I would have the support of my friends and family if it ever came to that.

My dog already eats more healthily than myself (and she is certainly fitter than me!).

If i had to cut back though it would be on her food and toys. She probably doesn't need a lamb shank everyday and could "make do" with a cheaper type of bone and some pal instead of premium kibble. And i am sure she could tolerate a tennis ball instead of a glow in the dark ball with a rope attached

Her medical treatment is quite expensive and unfortunately I don't have pet insurance though I am thinking of getting accident-only cover (I haven't gotten it yet because I know my current employer would let me pay off an account in an emergency and I also have an emergency bank account that I can use).

I would certainly not get a new computer or phone instead of getting her treated

[Oskar & Zsa Zsa]

If I were in a difficult position financially, I doubt i would consider getting a dog if I didn't already have one. But, If I did have one, then my first priority is to ensure the dog's health and wellbeing. If that meant that i ate cheap to do so, then so be it. If it got to the point where I couldn't afford to feed and care for us both, i would put the bite on one of my mate's who has put the bite on me over the years. If that option were not available, I would make sure one of my friends looked after my dog/s till I was back on my feet. But it's not their fault whatever the predicament and not fair that they be punished for it. Having said that, if the dogs had to eat cheap for a little while, I am sure I could find a healthy substitute to royal Canin!! As for Vet bills, find a good vet is the first thing. I know I was ripped off blindly till I found a vet which was not only a professional, but also charged about 1/3 of the others I had been to. My fault, i had opted for ease of location firstly and hadn't really done much research apart from asking a few people who I work with who they took their dogs to. Now, however, through a friends recommendation, I have found a cracking vet! My puppies like them too, which is important.