I Have A Problem With This Story

There’s a story in the this morning’s newspaper, the gist of which goes like this:

A woman and her dog (a 7-pound Yorkie) were in a serious car accident. In spite of the fact that both she and her dog wore seat restraints (kudos on that) both had to be hospitalized, the dog in very serious condition with a broken back and pelvic injuries. To survive, the pooch needed costly orthopedic surgery. After two days with no word from the family about their pet, the vet in charge of her case decided to proceed with the surgery and was able to secure a discounted fee from the specialist of $1700. The dog’s life was saved, though not her leg and she is now recovering in the care of the first doctor.

Here’s where my problem comes in. The owner says she can’t afford to pay the bill. Now, I don’t know her exact circumstances but, on the assumption that the woman made a conscious decision to get her dog, I have a real problem with her statement. If you don’t have, or can’t raise, or aren’t willing to raise the funds necessary to do everything possible to care for your pet, then you shouldn’t have one.

It’s not that I lack sympathy for the woman’s circumstances. Indeed, I know exactly what she’s going through. I’ve been unable to work for months at a time because of ill health, had tens of thousands in debt because of it and had sick pets to care for. The point is, when you elect to bring an animal into your home and life and make it part of your family, it’s incumbent upon you to do whatever it takes to assure their care.

It takes a lot of money to care for a pet on a day to day basis and the odds are that your friend will require additional medical care at some time in his or her life. So be prepared. It doesn’t take much to rack up doctor’s bills in the thousands.

You should also arrange to have someone who can make decisions on your behalf or look after your pet in the event that you’re unable to. In this case a caring doctor stepped up to the plate and now a local rescue group is trying to raise funds to pay for the Yorkie’s medical bills.

The owner says she’s looking forward to getting her pet back and I have a problem with that, too. A three-legged dog that’s had a back injury is likely to require more than the usual veterinary care. So who’s going to pay for that?

Here’s a reminder of what can happen to your pet if you’re not properly prepared to care for him – www.dontgetadog.com