Everybody want's a pet, but few are willing to care for them with the proper treatment needed for a healthy pet. I know dozens of people who have pets and have never been to the vet for the appropiate vaccinations and preventative treatments. If you truly love your pet, SPEND the TIME and MONEY to take care of them properly. Respect their needs or do without.
2007-01-31 05:18:16 · 15 answers · asked by STAN 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
We have the same problem with Children in this country (US).
The real issue is how pets are viewed in most states - they are viewed as property...the same as a bicycle or basketball. Until we start giving them the same status as living creatures we can't expect them to be treated any better.
I will NEVER understand why someone would so desperately want a dog and then tie it up in the backyard for the next 10 years.
AND - With all due respect to those people on this board that are using the excuse that they can't afford to take their pet to the Vet - When you accept responsibility of that animal you accepted the responsibility to care for them 100% - regardless if you lost your job, have a large car payment or have high credit card bills. Saying you can't afford it is a COP OUT. I know of animal welfare organizations in EVERY STATE that will vaccinate and spay/neuter your pet FOR FREE. If you need Vet care and can't afford it contact me @ lovingclementine@yahoo.com - I will put you in contact with your local agency. Also - if you can't afford 1 pet...don't get another! I hate it when someone comes into my shelter to drop off 11 cats that they "suddenly" can't afford - and then ask me if they can adopt a dog!!!
2007-01-31 05:23:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 1⤋
yes it is - but it also depends on the view of "proper vet care". If you watch posts on here there's people who recommend running to the vet every time nails need trimmed or it coughs or wormed or whatever. I don't think that is needed. There's much that can be done for proper care of an animal at home. There's conflicting studies as to the *need* for annual rabies shots - some studies show a shot is good for 3-5 years (as used to be given!) where as now it's horrible if they don't get 3-5 times that dose in that time. It doesn't make them *more* immune. Ditto the other routine shots - people are looked down at for giving the shots at home rather than rushing to a vet - it seems the important thing is they're cared for and vaccinated. Some people take on animals without a whole lot of choice too. There's many animals dumped in the country and farmers are criticized for shooting them (because owners wouldn't deal with them) or taking them in at less levels of "proper vet care" than others deem needed. The other thing is things happen. Sometimes normally there *is* money for vet care but a car accident, an illness or other thing can temporarily mean there isn't money - and anymore vets won't even talk to you without a blank check. The vet fee might be $40 or might be $400 but they don't know until they get into it...yet want payment immediately and *won't* treat the animal without it. THAT I've seen - animals who needed treatment turned away because the owner didn't have a credit card or unlimited cash. There's little to no agreement of what "proper care" is.
2016-05-23 23:08:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I have 3 labs who go through 50lbs of dog food a week, that's $100/month of food. I spend $15/month on bath products and about another $30/month on vitamins and suppliements.
I use to work for a Vet clinic and if you can afford to spend $200+ each time you go about 3 times a year =$600 just in vet bills go for it I know I can't.
I instead of going to the Vet find the traveling Vet Vaccination clinics that don't charge you an office visit or the extras that come from the regular vets office.
Vet offices will charge you out the butt for anything and everything, most preventive care can be done at home.
For those who don't do things to keep up with their pet should be given a class on responsibility. If the owner is fat, lazy and discusting so will the animal.
2007-01-31 05:31:40 · answer #3 · answered by Emily M 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Most pet owners look at it this way - their pets stay inside 99% of the time and they figure that the chances of them getting something is next to nothing.
I think alot of the treatments/shots that are given is a cost hype just like in any medical field. I don't feel that not taking your pet to the vet every other month for a shot is neglect if they aren't sick. If people really looked at the statistics, chance are probably one in a thousand, if not more, that your pet will get heartworms, rabies, etc.
I've owned a number of dogs throughout the years and have never gotten all the regular shots. Guess what, I've never had a sick dog before. I'm not saying it couldn't ever happen.
For example, (keep in mind I don't know what gender you are)when's the last time you got a physical, a mamogram, a prostate exam, flu shot, CAT scan, lungs checked, etc? Get my point?
You're probably p***** by now, but don't ask if you don't want people's thoughts.
2007-01-31 05:30:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
As the previous Answerer said, we have the same problem with children. But unfortunately pets are so easy to get.
Most people just think they want a pet. But in reallity they are just filling a void. They need someone to love them reguadless of how screwed up they are. Plus everyone seems to think that pets are easier to take care than children. Personally I think that's rubbish. I have two new mini schnauzer puppies, and we're having a great time but only because I'm putting in the hours and taking fairly good care of them.
Sadly most people think they can just leave them in the bathroom when they go to work or to play. I'm guessing those people weren't treated very well when they were young.
The other avenue in this area would be that they see the pets as wayyy inferior to themselves and not worth a serious effort. Which is lame. One of my new puppies is a whiz at escaping his crate (for potty training) just to crawl in bed with me...and i think the other can count to three. When i get onto my son for something I have to resort to counting..if the pups are loose and just running around and hanging with the fam... he runs to his crate like he's the one in trouble. (And I don't change my tone either so I'm at a loss there.)
2007-01-31 05:34:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Respectfully speaking, not all of us have the money to take our pets to the vet. Some of us have been laid off or let go and have other bills and rent to pay first, but that doesnt mean that we dont love our pet and should do without! Taking responsibility is one thing by feeding, loving and caring for our pet in the best way we can at the moment, would you rather us drop him off at the humane society to be killed, or let him go in someone elses neighborhood becuz we cant afford vet care? I should think not. This is a help forum for our pets, we ask questions here because we are responsible pet owners trying to do the best we can for our beloved pets!!
2007-01-31 05:30:10 · answer #6 · answered by lighthouses101 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Who knows, the same can be asked about people that go buy puppies and then beat them. Why do people do anything stupid like that? If you can't spend the time to make sure your pet will be healthy, then you shouldn't have one.
2007-01-31 05:25:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I fully agree. I once did a calculation of what it cost for our dogs and depending on which one it was, of course, the bare minimum we spend on one dog is $1000.00 per year. That is providing there are no extraordinary circumstances. Then the sky is the limit. But if you break that (the grand) down, that isn't even $100.00 dollars per dog per month. With everything we get in return, I feel it is a steal of a deal for us. (That figure includes food, flea/tick/heart-worm meds, treats, toys, etc...)
I've looked back on my answer and realized how harsh I came across. One of my dearest friends has 2 old Yorkies she loves to death. She lives on almost no money, less than $1000.00 a month, but she does the best she can. I doubt I could make it on that even without dogs. Her female doggy got very sick one night, no clue what was wrong. We took her to the vet, found out she had an abcessed tooth & if it wasn't treated ASAP it was going to be RIP. My friend is about as stoic as it gets, but this damn near gave her a break down. What could I do? I pulled out my credit card and plasticized it. Could we afford it? No. We generally cannot afford most of the emergencies of any kind that come our way, but there was no way I was going to let my dear friend lose her 'baby'. My friend may never be able to fully repay me (in cash, to me her friendship is priceless) and it eats away at her even though I tell her it does not matter. I had a means of covering it, she did not. I know that if our situations were reversed, she'd have done the same for me.
The upshot of this is, while I cannot allow myself to NOT take our dogs to the vet, I should not judge others who do not for lack of funds. The ones who anger me are those who just don't do it, they see no need for it because, "it's just an animal".
2007-01-31 05:30:05 · answer #8 · answered by doggzma 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I have ask this same question so many times! It is so frustrating to hear, "my dog/cat/bird/rodent is ill/injured and i can't take her/him to a vet" Then why get a pet if you can not or will not care for it!?! It is not fair to the animal! If you get an answer to this that makes sense, please, let me know! This is a great question!
2007-01-31 05:49:51 · answer #9 · answered by Stick to Pet Rocks 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
well its a personal choice, since people dont consider there pets as human beings they just dont do it. Heck some people dont take there KIDS to doctors when they are suppose to. Its called Responsibilty. Also called education and financial stability. Some people generally dont care cause, they have an attitude where they say... I can just get another one if this one dies. Of course a well adjusted, well educated, compassionate, finacial stable, and normal human being would take there animals to vets some just dont. Nothing we can do but try to educate those that dont understand, and prosecute those that have the brains, the means, and the equipment, and money to do it but wont cause they are lazy and stupid.
TO PEOPLE THUMBING ANSWERS DOWN: This is not an advise post, this is an opinion post and because answers dont fall in your catergory of good opinion you thumb someone down. Really you need a more broad perspective on life. There are times i dont have enough money to take my animals to the vet, but I do it anyway. I find a way, I beg I plead, and i have a good standing reputation with vets in my area. I make deals with them. Before I got my job, I didnt always have the means to get the animals to the vet, I lived on a farm and life and death were everyday occurances, but i still did found a way. I dont always take my animals in for every little problem cause i have enough knowledge now to know what to do in certian situations but that was years of having and owning animals. I would and still always suggest to people to always ask a vet and bring to a vet first and formost for every animal down to a FLEA if that was your choice. Its why god made vets.
2007-01-31 05:28:19 · answer #10 · answered by I luv Pets 7 · 3⤊ 4⤋