AIBU to be annoyed with people who can't afford to look after their pets

[Allelbowsandtoes]

Just saw a post on Facebook, someone trying to fundraise for surgery for her 7 month old puppy that has hip dysplasia. Lots of people were commenting about how vets charge way too much and it's all a "money making racket". I pointed out that veterinary surgeons are highly skilled and train for years, and we only think its expensive because we have the NHS and mostly don't pay our own healthcare costs.

Maybe I ABU because its a shame if people can't afford pets, because they bring joy to our lives.

The idea is that you hope that you won't actually need to spend that money. I've had several cats, haven't insured any of them, and they've cost me very little in the way of vets' bills.

Yes, just a nasty way to attack people who aren't as rich. Why shouldn't disabled people, pensioners or families have a pet, as long as they treat it well?

And PDSA treatment isn't free, by the way.

PP does have a point though, I don't understand why you would actively get a pet if you don't have enough money to take care of yourself. Neither scenario is fair on the pet!

You don't need a garden at all. I had a GS and just a yard. He was walked, taken to large parks for off lead exercise and came camping with us.

Circumstances change.
You could go from a high earner to someone relying on PDSA in a heart beat.

Of course, and I understand that. There's plenty of people where I live with multiple dogs who have never had a job which imo is wrong.

Why is it wrong?
People who don't work are allowed to have pets. They don't cost you anything.
If there is something like the PDSA who can help them take part in the joy that is pet ownership, then why not?

I don't work (unable to), and I have a dog. Is that a bad thing?

Yes that's true and I can see that would be a good thing. I was talking about the many people near me who don't feed their kids, but then have huge dogs (and probably don't feed them or look after them properly either). But yes, agree that not all situations are the same.

They feel love, pain, every sentiment that we as humans do.

Are you that dense to realise this?

Guess it depends on how bug yiur yard it, I think it's cruel especially for a large dog. I love dogs but have never had one for that reason.

Why the fuck are children always compared to dogs?

Probably because people treat them like children 🤣

YANBU it annoys me too.

However, I do think that some people are simply unaware of how expensive vet bills can be. We had cats when I was growing up and never had insurance for them - nobody did in those days.

When I got a kitten a couple of years ago, the vet gave me a lecture about getting insurance when I took him in for his first vaccinations, and warned me about how high vet bills can be.

I took her advice and got insurance, and I will keep it as long as he is in his prime, but I'm not sure that I would insure an older cat. Once they are past a certain age, I think it's better to PTS if they have something seriously wrong, rather than try to treat them. They aren't able to tell us when they are suffering.

Yes I agree to a point although I think peoples circumstances can change dramatically and they can go from £150k salary to homeless overnight with the right misfortune. However it’s the idiots with the big high maintenance dogs, and the dogs with known health conditions Who are already on a low income. I also get annoyed when I see people with completely unsuitable breeds for their situation or big high energy dogs dragging their owners across fields on a lead..let your bloody dogs off they NEED to run!!. The other thing that annoys me is perfectly preened dogs on leads who aren’t allowed to get muddy or play because their owners care more about what they look like then their mental health.

I’ve owned 3 dogs in my lifetime, one of which sadly died last March. All have been fully insured for at least £8-15k lifetime cover limits from the day they came home.

My eldest dog, Fiona has had two procedures in the six years since we rescued her - removal of a cancerous lump on her back and a laparoscopic spay with hernia repair whilst she was under anaesthesia. In total, I paid probably around £1500 across those two surgeries and treatments and was able to reclaim around £800 (relating to the lump removal).

With my dog Logan who died, his treatment, tests and stay in animal hospital, plus cost for a home visit to PTS, came to £1420. I got back £820 (lots of deductions due to individual cremation, home visit etc), plus £360 reimbursement payment due to him dying.

For me, insurance isn’t an optional expense - I consider it a mandatory part and cost of owning a dog and if I have to cut back spending elsewhere to keep affording to pay monthly premiums, then so be it.

Of course, it would be much nicer if vets and insurance companies could figure out a way to be more effective in working together to assess and approve claims so that the default is direct claim and settlement, instead of pet owners having to find the money up front and then claim back. Particularly in circumstances involving the death of a beloved pet, it’s an additional stress that isn’t needed.

Like many things, it's a pity that it's not more heavily regulated. If you knew that you should have x time to spend with your pet, that they should have enough room to run around, that you need to walk them at least x times, that they will cost x a year etc. I'm not sure many people would take on the responsibility. Like most things we do to them for selfish reasons rather than altruistic ones. Particularly with dogs, it saddens me that so many people buy certain breeds knowing they have ailments or will have problems later due to their breeding.

Took my dog to the vet in France last year. Loads cheaper than our vet here, yet the same qualifications…. 🤔

I'd bet my butt that it's a 'pedigree' with common breeding conditions 🙄
Shame on anyone that buys from a greeder 😡

YANBU, but having said that vet costs have gone up a huge amount over the years (well, they have here anyway), and also animals are treated for things they wouldn't have been years ago. I don't have pet insurance, as aside from one cat who cost me a fortune the costs of insuring my cats (four at one time!) would have been far more than what I have spent on them, and it would have been the same for my dogs - and I've had a dog with epilepsy, a cat with diabetes and a dog with arthritis.

I agree with you about the ridiculous amounts being charged for domestic pets just because they can. I paid $700 last year to take my cat to a vet out of hours. He had a few blood tests and was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers for an infection. Compare that to what you paid for your animal to have much more work done!

“I pointed out that veterinary surgeons are highly skilled and train for years, and we only think it’s expensive because we have the NHS”.

This is bollocks. Vets haven’t always charged inflated prices. They simply haven’t.
Stop comparing the vets to the NHS- ridiculous, trolled out several times on mn.

Veterinary practices- the ones run by “partners/ hedge fund managers etc” who realised they can buy practices and charge what they want absolutely DO profit from overcharging. I know a vet who had her own practice, successful. Sold it but stayed employed and has walked away after seeing the utter greed, incompetence and not putting the animal first- her words. She said her late husband would be heartbroken by what had taken place.

There’s a reason they’ll ask if you have insurance, it’s often so they can max out! My dog had a £300 blood test- vet “oh I repeated it twice as your insured so that’s £600”. FFS!

YABU and very uneducated.

There are good practices and good vets. There are also shitty practices and vets. Same with every profession. We have a local vet, he owns the practice, he’s not in it for the money, doesn’t rip people off. You can’t get in to that practice for love nor money.

Anyone on benefit, you may get free/subsidised treatment via the PDSA.

Oh and always get a prescription, your vet probably won’t bother informing you that it’s cheaper to get repeat drugs online.

Though my vet now charges £50 for a prescription. Two years ago it was £18. It’s a piece of paper …. My dog is on meds for life, but I had to fight like hell to get a prescription longer than 3 months. Not in it for the money mind 🤣🤣🤣if you say so op.

There are also “not for profit practices”. Can be hard to find and have long waiting lists. Can’t imagine why. I think pet ownership has become a luxury. Practices will close down as people will stop having pets. No wonder rescues are full. Shame.

Yes you can... you just tell them it’s a rescue and give the estimated age.

I did it a few weeks ago for our newest one.

And another thing the vet doesn’t set the prices- the practice does (unless the vet owns the practice outright- unlikely). My vet is disgusted by its own surgery’s prices for god sake!

Explain that.

Not had time to RTFT but we need to ban backstreet breeding. Hip dysplasia is largely avoidable with testing and good breeding.