Why do families who are poor, have pets

The same people that pay for everything else.

It doesn't matter whether you agree with it or not, we live in a society that helps those less fortunate.
My Dsis is a huge animal lover, she volunteers and often helps families with vet services, they also offer a volunteering dog walking service for people who lost their mobility rather than surrendering their adored pet.

Through donations? Right, so someone else pays, either through money or giving of time. No, I do not agree with that. And the Blue Cross / PDSA can only do a certain amount, quite rightly. But what that means, in practise, is that some animals do not get the care they need, because donations from other people aren’t enough to cover it.
Yes, owning and looking after and loving an animal has massive benefits. But the stress from not being able to properly care for that animal, never mind what that might mean for the animal? I cannot see how that benefits anyone.

I can't afford to insure the mortgage I've just got in my 50's. I couldn't afford to rent so your solution would be me being homeless as mortgage insurance is extortionate if you have any medical conditions.

Yep, I am on benefits now, but I had my dog long before I was claiming anything. My dog has enriched my life, and is the reason I am still here.

Because they still deserve love and companionship? And maybe they could afford them when they got them?

Me having a pet had nothing to do with someone starving in another country.

This is the most absurd thing ever. Who is paying for this?

I don't have a pet as I can't afford one.
I also can't give them the best possible care.

Having a pet is selfish rich or poor.

Human children are starving and living in squalor all over the world and you are questioning why poor people have pets?

Get a grip!

Yes, I read it to imply that poor people make bad decisions about everything, including pets and their care.
I am on benefits, and I take amazing care of my dog. I love her to bits, and if love counted then she would live forever.

@Createausername1970 💐 Poor boy.

What a load of shit.
Are you implying that poor people are incapable of adoring their pets, they go to much greater lengths to provide for the pet, than people who have easy access to money.
How do they afford this "new pet" in your little fantasy?

Aw, sorry to read about your poor boy
At least with people, they can understand the whole process about cancer treatment etc, and they can have hope etc. Dogs live in the here and now.

Sadly you are right as we have just had to make that exact decision for our 12 year old Frenchie. He is pottering about the garden right now and happy in himself, and will be going for a walk soon. If you saw him you wouldn't think there is anything amiss. But that aggressive cancer in his tummy is causing problems and we reckon he has about 10 days of pottering left before it tips the balance.

It's very sad and will take him before his time. We could have investigated surgery, but it would have been very invasive and the recovery would have been tricky to manage, and with no guarantee that it wouldn't come straight back.

We have opted for sunshine and pottering and let him go at his peak before arthritis or other joint pain comes along.

Yes, because all "poor" people do that.
Some well off people do that too. Assholes do that. But sometimes an expensive treatment is not in the best interest of the animal, particularly if they are elderly or have lots of other issues too.

Or just get the pet put to sleep when it needs treatment you can't afford and get a new one.

Mine got to £110pm at 9/10. She is 15 now. I dread to think what it would be now.
And when they get old, they see the vets more often for niggly things that will be less than the excess anyway. And at a very old age, you would not put them through anything invasive or something that has a long recovery.

Until your pet gets old. Then you may pay a hefty monthly sum and your excess will likely go up and the yearly amount you can claim will go down.

Our last quote for our dog insurance when she turned 10 was £200 per month (so practically £2500 per year) with a total payout to us of £5K. The previous year it was £120 per month and an £10K payout.

You have to be in the catchment area for PDSA (I am not). And no one is forced to donate to GoFundMe.

The blue cross enables families from poorer background to treat their pet, through donations and affordable payment options.

Vets, like Doctor's, at times put their patients care above profit, thanks to those kind medical staff volunteering, poor people can have pets, these medics understand that it is beneficial for a pet to be loved, even by the poorer people in society.

You don't need insurance when you have places like pdsa and gofundme to cover you.

The legal minimum requirement for motor insurance is third party, and that is to protect other road users, not your own vehicle.

Just like you can't force people to have more comprehensive car insurance that covers repairs to their own car... you can't force pet owners that have insurance to cover vet bills. And unlike motor insurance, once you claim for one particular thing on pet insurance, you can't claim again. I someone who use their pet insurance to cover corn surgery for their dog. Now, they can't claim again for anything foot related.

You can get third party only pet insurance that covers injuries caused by your pet. £25 per year with Dogs Trust.

Well I am on disability payments and I have a pet. I can afford it and I don't think I am doing anything wrong.

They have to become legal requirements otherwise the irresponsible don't bother. If they didn't get car insurance the other party could be out of pocket financially, if they don't get pet insurance the other party could be killed.