When I bought my two guys, I was dependent on my parents. I have had to take Buster to the vet before and they paid...now that I'm all grown up, it's a bit harder. Literally this week alone I had my fiance get a piece of metal caught in his eye so that was an ER visit, doctors visit, and specialist visit...my dog was neutered/vaccinated on wed (about $500)...and Buster is sick...we have depleted about $1,000 of our savings in 7 days. People who say "if you can't afford the vet, you shouldn't have the pet" Should take a second to ask about circumstances before criticizing. In this economy the unexpected is to be expected.
Can't pay vet bill shouldn't have pet?
- Thread starter 2manypets
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Riven
Bad Chin
A lot of people seem to think that means you need to have a couple grand sitting around. I disagree. I think that as long as you can get the money for the vet without selling a child or kidney that's acceptable. Be it borrowing it, a credit card, etc. as long as it will not make you miss your house payment etc.
Basically if you're pet is sitting there with a serious issue for a week because you're waiting for pay day... you can't afford it or need to change your priorities. If you're putting off routine care for a week, that's different. But for emergencies you need to be able to access the funds even if it's to euthanize instead of treat. No animal should be sitting around in pain because the owners can't afford to have it addressed.
Jess, I don't know where you live or what kind of dog you have, but I think that's outrageous. I got my cat spayed and my dog neutered and dewclaws removed and it was $210 for both at a normal vet, not a low cost clinic or anything. Rabies here run about $30-$35, boosters about $20-$30 at the vet.
Lexiehog: I disagree about your whole having a baby thing. Having a baby is not a medical procedure in most cases, people just like to make it that way. People are made to have babies, it's natural. I don't go to the doctor to pee or poop. While I understand that issues can arise with birthing it's probably more of an issue of assisted selection, such as families who always need c-sections or people with fertility issues. With that said, it's always a good idea to have medical back up.
Basically if you're pet is sitting there with a serious issue for a week because you're waiting for pay day... you can't afford it or need to change your priorities. If you're putting off routine care for a week, that's different. But for emergencies you need to be able to access the funds even if it's to euthanize instead of treat. No animal should be sitting around in pain because the owners can't afford to have it addressed.
Jess, I don't know where you live or what kind of dog you have, but I think that's outrageous. I got my cat spayed and my dog neutered and dewclaws removed and it was $210 for both at a normal vet, not a low cost clinic or anything. Rabies here run about $30-$35, boosters about $20-$30 at the vet.
Lexiehog: I disagree about your whole having a baby thing. Having a baby is not a medical procedure in most cases, people just like to make it that way. People are made to have babies, it's natural. I don't go to the doctor to pee or poop. While I understand that issues can arise with birthing it's probably more of an issue of assisted selection, such as families who always need c-sections or people with fertility issues. With that said, it's always a good idea to have medical back up.
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I live in Jersey. He had a mass on them so they had to take the skin along with them, so it cost more, along with a previous vet visit to diagnose everything, it cost around $500...the vet I go to is on the expensive side, but I trust them and they have been my vet for years, so I see it as an ok sacrifice.
Tagna
Chin lover
LexieHeg
I'm a Hedgie kinda girl
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I was referring to raising a child somewhere where there isn't a doctor, not giving birth.
ItsyBitsy
Active member
I used to work as a tech and I'll say this, my vet told me that by law she HAS to see and treat an animal if they come in claiming its an emergency whether they have the money on hand or not or she can be sued if anything happens to it and she did nothing. Then they really have no choice but to have some kind of an arrangement. I mean what could they possibly do? I don't think they are allowed to keep your animal...Its annoying and embarrassing to put yourself in that situation but the ones that have come to the place I worked for in the past and fought in the end cause they had no money I give respect to rather then letting their pets suffer and do nothing.
RDZCRanch
RavenousDeadlyZombieChins
If a vet office has a sign posted stating that the pet will not be released until payment is received, they can keep your pet until you pay. I've seen it done at a few vet offices and have done it myself with pushy clients trying to pay less for services we've done. One of my friends that refused to let a woman take her dog when she was refusing to pay got to deal with the police. All the police did was tell the lady she had to pay in order to get her dog back. In the U.S. pets are regarded as possessions under the law, not family members. Smog check places will do the same thing with your vehicles. I was getting my car smogged when a lady before me called the police because her car didn't pass the test so she refused to pay for the test. They wouldn't give her car back until she paid so she called the police saying they stole her car. Cops showed up and just told her to pay to get the car back.
I don't have thousands set aside for emergency vet visits, I don't think a lot of people do. What I do have is compassion and determination. If my animals need vet care, they will get it. I don't care how much money I'll end up owing, it can be paid back. What matters is the living, breathing animal that depends on me. I've been to the vet office more than I care to remember and it drives me nuts when I see people saying "we're waiting until the morning because the emergency vet is too expensive". Heck, I've even seen people wait a few days to see if their financial situation will change.
I don't have thousands set aside for emergency vet visits, I don't think a lot of people do. What I do have is compassion and determination. If my animals need vet care, they will get it. I don't care how much money I'll end up owing, it can be paid back. What matters is the living, breathing animal that depends on me. I've been to the vet office more than I care to remember and it drives me nuts when I see people saying "we're waiting until the morning because the emergency vet is too expensive". Heck, I've even seen people wait a few days to see if their financial situation will change.
ItsyBitsy
Active member
We didn't have any signs posted like that nor did she ever attempt to keep an animal. Perhaps it was just her office. Regardless I would try anything to get them help. I am not a rich person and can't afford 400-500 on the spot but if it was needed I would come up with it or do what I had to but I wouldn't let the animal suffer.
