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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to wonder about help with vet bills beyond PDSA?

40 replies

Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:17

This is NOT intended as anything to do with benefit recipients, but something that just keeps whirring round in my brain.

Rushed a suddenly very poorly dog to the emergency vet a few weeks ago. Shared reception area with PDSA. Brain whirring, I read lots of the posters, and I think they’re doing an amazing thing. Paid our (extremely large) bill and also made a sizeable donation to the PDA desk next door.

Then realised the PDSA requires you to be eligible. Eligible is proving you’re in receipt of benefits. So that covers the pets of people on benefits, and I’m glad about that - but what I can’t stop thinking about is what about the huge numbers who aren’t on benefits but also can’t afford treatment?

Is there an equivalent, some sort of benevolent fund that could be donated to and called upon when really needed by vets? I can’t find anything online.

I have been tying myself in knots ever since thinking about pets of owners who can’t afford them to be treated - admittedly this is all heavily mixed up with my heartbreak at the situation we are in with our own dog. But I just keep thinking, what if we couldn’t afford this?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:36

Ubugly · 09/05/2026 17:34

My friend is on benefits and her puppy broke its leg and she had some discounted insurance or something from PDSA but when it came to the broken leg, it was around a week to be seen and they they would only pay a certain amount anyway so it didnt really cover any of it so her parents had to pay 😬

But what if her parents didn’t have the money?! How could a dog just be left with a broken leg, either for a week or forever…I don’t understand. Or do you mean really the option was pay or PTS?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:35

Ubugly · 09/05/2026 17:34

My friend is on benefits and her puppy broke its leg and she had some discounted insurance or something from PDSA but when it came to the broken leg, it was around a week to be seen and they they would only pay a certain amount anyway so it didnt really cover any of it so her parents had to pay 😬

I didn’t realise this, I thought they received the same treatment as we would have. That’s so sad.

OP posts:
Ubugly · 09/05/2026 17:34

My friend is on benefits and her puppy broke its leg and she had some discounted insurance or something from PDSA but when it came to the broken leg, it was around a week to be seen and they they would only pay a certain amount anyway so it didnt really cover any of it so her parents had to pay 😬

Original poster
Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:33

InMyOpenOnion · 09/05/2026 17:31

It's awful to think of but sometimes cats have to be put to sleep if they are hit by a car and the owners can't afford the surgery.

I couldn’t imagine being the vet, knowing I could save a life and not doing it.

I know they have to, I know they can’t treat for free. I just couldn’t do it…..

OP posts:
Original poster
Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:32

WongLynchFellini · 09/05/2026 17:30

One of our local vets does have a discretionary fund you can donate to actually. I don’t see why they would think you are crazy because ultimately it’s more money for them.

Show quote history

Thank you so much. I feel so much better for hearing it is actually ‘a thing’ - even if ours don’t do it. I’ll definitely ask then!

OP posts:
InMyOpenOnion · 09/05/2026 17:31

It's awful to think of but sometimes cats have to be put to sleep if they are hit by a car and the owners can't afford the surgery.

Original poster
Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:31

YeOldeGreyhound · 09/05/2026 17:28

I am on benefits but did not live in the catchment area of a PDSA vet. I also think you have to be in receipt of housing benefit, and I am not.

My dog was not insured in her senior years as it was a lot of money and I would not have put her through anything intrusive anyway.

Treatment has cost us £2500 in the last 3 weeks and that’s not for anything intrusive - which we are in agreement we wouldn’t put her through. She can’t be cured but is not suffering at all. I think this is what is triggering this. £2500 to save her life, a few hundred pounds a month to keep her healthy, none of this intrusive and quality of life not impacted. So I keep thinking, what if we didn’t have that money…

OP posts:
WongLynchFellini · 09/05/2026 17:30

Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:28

I understand this but that’s not the fault of the pets. That’s what is upsetting me.

I know there is probably no answer, and I know I’m just full of emotion and anxiety but it’s currently embedded in my brain.

I have considered asking at our vet whether they have or would consider some kind of discretionary fund we could donate to but I’m worried they’ll think I’m crazy.

Show quote history

One of our local vets does have a discretionary fund you can donate to actually. I don’t see why they would think you are crazy because ultimately it’s more money for them.

cadburyegg · 09/05/2026 17:29

Most people on a budget wouldn’t have loads of animals though - they have a couple and either have savings or insurance.

Original poster
Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:28

Purplecatshopaholic · 09/05/2026 17:23

This is going to sound terrible, but if you can’t afford the vets bills you can’t afford/shouldnt have, a pet. Vets are very expensive, and it’s a cost you need to factor in if you choose to take on the responsibility, and privilege, of another living animal. Put money away each month, have insurance, whatever works for you. People who decide, whoops I can’t afford vet treatment, make me very angry.

I understand this but that’s not the fault of the pets. That’s what is upsetting me.

I know there is probably no answer, and I know I’m just full of emotion and anxiety but it’s currently embedded in my brain.

I have considered asking at our vet whether they have or would consider some kind of discretionary fund we could donate to but I’m worried they’ll think I’m crazy.

OP posts:
YeOldeGreyhound · 09/05/2026 17:28

I am on benefits but did not live in the catchment area of a PDSA vet. I also think you have to be in receipt of housing benefit, and I am not.

My dog was not insured in her senior years as it was a lot of money and I would not have put her through anything intrusive anyway.

Original poster
Bedroomdilemmas113 · 09/05/2026 17:26

KilkennyCats · 09/05/2026 17:24

Most responsible pet owners have pet insurance.
Not sure why you’re tying yourself in knots worrying about people who don’t bother?

Thinking about the dogs who won’t be able to get treated because their owners can’t afford it.

Insurance doesn’t always pay out. We have lots of animals so don’t have insurance - but we can afford treatment.

OP posts:
WongLynchFellini · 09/05/2026 17:26

KilkennyCats · 09/05/2026 17:24

Most responsible pet owners have pet insurance.
Not sure why you’re tying yourself in knots worrying about people who don’t bother?

She said she was worried about their pets, not the owners and that’s fair enough.

KilkennyCats · 09/05/2026 17:24

Most responsible pet owners have pet insurance.
Not sure why you’re tying yourself in knots worrying about people who don’t bother?

Purplecatshopaholic · 09/05/2026 17:23

This is going to sound terrible, but if you can’t afford the vets bills you can’t afford/shouldnt have, a pet. Vets are very expensive, and it’s a cost you need to factor in if you choose to take on the responsibility, and privilege, of another living animal. Put money away each month, have insurance, whatever works for you. People who decide, whoops I can’t afford vet treatment, make me very angry.

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