For the love of a dog - vet bills, insurance and responsible ownership

It was a PDSA clinic, which is a charity for UK pet owners on low incomes that allow you to pay by minimum donations. It doubles as the emergency vet for our city so we did not get that service, but they must see people all the time who are in dire financial straits and just want the best for their animals, so I'm guessing this is the reason they were so accommodating with us. I don't qualify for PDSA here, you need to be on some kind of benefit (it isn't paid for by UK taxes before anyone asks, it's a legitimate charity run by donations).

The bigger issue is dog ownership in general on a low income, or ownership of any pet really. Keeping your pet on a good quality food that will ensure s/he lives a long lifespan can be expensive, especially in the case of a large dog like a lab. But the vet fees are the biggest thing. I'm so truly grateful for our insurance but I know that so many people in other countries don't have the option of dog insurance, or it seems like dog insurance is a rip off (I've heard really bad things from people in the USA, and quite frankly a lot of companies in the UK have a long way to go).

I hear so often the harsh statement "don't have a dog if you can afford the vet" but I think it's a shame that pet ownership should be restricted to "certain people" who fit the bill for so-called "responsible" ownership. Especially when "the vet" can easily cost you thousands in an emergency. It also cuts down the pool of people capable of taking on rescue dogs by a huge amount. My own dog was basically a hand-me-down from my brother, if I hadn't taken him he could've well ended up in a rescue, and we all know what a dire situation that can be if no-one adopts the dog.

It also doesn't take into account people who did have a reliable income but then lost it due to this crappy economy. Or the fact that increasing numbers of people think you shouldn't even own a dog if you work full time and can't be around for the dog. It seems pet owners are increasingly between a rock and a hard place, and it seems you cannot win and people criticise no matter what you do. I can't imagine having to fork over thousands of pounds for a vet bill or a surgery, I would just not be able to do it and would be faced with the situation of having my beloved dog put to sleep. It seems crazily unreasonable to expect your average person to be able to afford to have thousands stashed away in an emergency vet care fund if they live in a place where dog insurance is unreliable.

I feel people can be so harsh with the "if you don't have money, don't get a dog" when there are so many that cherish their pets beyond measure and treat them with such kindness yet have very little money. Conversely, there are some very well off people who treat their animals as no more than objects (this is not a comment on class or who cares for their pets better, but purely that you cannot judge how much someone loves their animals by income alone).

Anyway, these are just some thoughts I've having about the dilemma of keeping a pet when you don't have a lot of money, and how harsh people can be about it. Some people really do love their pets like members of their family and the guilt if they cannot afford to pay a bill must be absolutely crushing. In this case I am just so incredibly grateful for my awesome insurance company who has paid out every time I have needed them. And I am truly, truly grateful to the emergency vet clinic who were so very kind enough to just let me pay the excess on my insurance instead of slapping me with the full bill, and chose to give my dog only the treatment he needed instead of asking for every single test and medication on the books to get away with charging more money. These guys are heroes. I wish all vets could be like them. And I am so very truly blessed that my dog was absolutely A-OK and is napping beside me on the couch right now.