"Can't Afford the Vet, Don't Get the Pet"... thoughts?

forestyne · Mar 29, 2017

"Can't Afford the Vet, Don't Get the Pet"... thoughts?

The title.

I get into arguments frequently in animal groups I'm in, such as snake, dog, rodent and reptile groups. There are a lot of people who say "if you can't afford to see the vet, you shouldn't own the animal" and variations, often degrading the owner. My question is, what do you think of that concept?

- - - Post Merge - - -

Maybe I should've made a poll...

seliph · Mar 29, 2017

They're 100% right.

Pets are a responsibility and a luxury, not an accessory or a necessity. If you can't afford to take care of an animal, you shouldn't get one. It's not fair to them at all.

I'm not sure how acquiring service pets work or if they're covered more easily or anything, but these would be the only exception to this rule.

forestyne · Mar 29, 2017

gyro said:
They're 100% right.

Pets are a responsibility and a luxury, not an accessory or a necessity. If you can't afford to take care of an animal, you shouldn't get one. It's not fair to them at all.

I'm not sure how acquiring service pets work or if they're covered more easily or anything, but these would be the only exception to this rule.

I partially agree with the statement, but I also think it's unfair to rule someone unfit if they've previously been able to care for the animal but recently fell into financial difficulties.

Service animals, to the extent of my knowledge, cost thousands to train. I'm not sure if they're covered unless you've served in the army or you're supported by a charity.

Byngo · Mar 29, 2017

before you'd get a pet I'd say it would be wise to consider the possibility that the animal could become ill, and if you'd be able to support vet visits. if you just jump into buying an animal without thinking and it happens to get sick, its unfair to the animal (it will suffer) and puts you as the owner in a terrible position between choosing your animals health (or life) or go into debt

seliph · Mar 29, 2017

forestyne said:
I partially agree with the statement, but I also think it's unfair to rule someone unfit if they've previously been able to care for the animal but recently fell into financial difficulties.

Service animals, to the extent of my knowledge, cost thousands to train. I'm not sure if they're covered unless you've served in the army or you're supported by a charity.

I think it's totally fair. Just because someone knows how to care for an animal doesn't mean they should get one if they won't be able to afford proper treatment for it. If they truly care about animals they'd know that said animals will not be able to live a fulfilling life without proper vet care.

They're like children. You wouldn't want a financially unstable person to have a baby, so why would you want these same people to get any other living thing?

Leen · Mar 29, 2017

As someone in vet medicine, I've experienced the different loves for an animal across families, countries, and cultures. I often volunteer in native american tribes offering veterinary medical services to these communities, and it's a very different perspective from animals in urban communities, but it does not mean that they love their animals any less.

I think that statement can hold a privileged and judgmental light on owners that don't necessarily have the financial means to provide the "gold standard" of care for the pet, but that does not mean that the pet is not loved and cared for. Traveling abroad, I've seen the human animal bond across communities and the love these families have for their pets. A lot of families have shared with me that the food that their animal eats is what their family eats as well.

My philosophy is to try to remember that their animals are their family members and that most times the care that they can afford for their pet is the care they oftentimes can only afford for themselves as well.

UglyMonsterFace · Mar 29, 2017

Well it's different if they already own the pet and then maybe lost their job. They should just try their best to get another one and hopefully they would have saved enough money to last them a while, even in case of emergencies. But say you want to buy a dog but you pretty much live paycheck to paycheck, without any extra money for emergencies, then you most definitely should not get a pet. I mean, would you knowingly plan to get pregnant and become a parent without first having a stable job and enough money to provide even if something goes wrong? So yeah.. That's my opinion on it

forestyne · Mar 29, 2017

gyro said:
I think it's totally fair. Just because someone knows how to care for an animal doesn't mean they should get one if they won't be able to afford proper treatment for it. If they truly care about animals they'd know that said animals will not be able to live a fulfilling life without proper vet care.

They're like children. You wouldn't want a financially unstable person to have a baby, so why would you want these same people to get any other living thing?

Financial stability comes and goes very quickly. One minute you might be perfectly able to care for the animal, the next you may not be. But I see your point.

- - - Post Merge - - -

Arize said:
Well it's different if they already own the pet and then maybe lost their job. They should just try their best to get another one and hopefully they would have saved enough money to last them a while, even in case of emergencies. But say you want to buy a dog but you pretty much live paycheck to paycheck, without any extra money for emergencies, then you most definitely should not get a pet. I mean, would you knowingly plan to get pregnant and become a parent without first having a stable job and enough money to provide even if something goes wrong? So yeah.. That's my opinion on it

Yeah, I agree. If you know you're not able to own the animal, you shouldn't, but if you already own the animal and money is running low when it wasn't before then I think they shouldn't be called unfit to own the animal. Only when they can't provide the animal's basic needs, like food and water, is where I draw the line though.

seliph · Mar 29, 2017

forestyne said:
Financial stability comes and goes very quickly. One minute you might be perfectly able to care for the animal, the next you may not be. But I see your point.

I'm talking about people who can't afford it in the first place. If you already had the pet it'll likely be hard on it to leave to a new home anyways. One of my girls has been bounced around before we got her and now she's got separation anxiety, which is thankfully not as bad now as when we got her.

B e t h a n y · Mar 29, 2017

If you can't afford the vet how do you even afford the pet in the first place

UglyMonsterFace · Mar 29, 2017

forestyne said:
Financial stability comes and goes very quickly. One minute you might be perfectly able to care for the animal, the next you may not be. But I see your point.

- - - Post Merge - - -

Yeah, I agree. If you know you're not able to own the animal, you shouldn't, but if you already own the animal and money is running low when it wasn't before then I think they shouldn't be called unfit to own the animal. Only when they can't provide the animal's basic needs, like food and water, is where I draw the line though.

Well in that case it's different. However, the owners must ensure that they are doing all they can to fix their situation rather than choose to not do anything about it (I've known people like this, btw). When you have an animal, it's like having a child, so you better be working your butt off to make sure that you can keep providing for your babies. If your animal is sick and needs immediate care and you cannot provide, then you need to find a way to get it done, no matter what. If you find that you cannot provide basic care anymore, then you relinquish ownership until you get back on your feet. And you better always put your animals needs before your own. That's just how I see it.. I don't know if that sounds harsh. I'm not trying to be!

Tao · Mar 29, 2017

Well, yea...At least with the "don't get a pet" specifically.

If you own the animal already and then 'circumstances change' I would say it's a different argument, but if you can't afford to look after an animal properly before you own it and get one anyway, it's pretty much shrugging and saying "don't care, I want a cat. Screw the cat actually being happy".

But I would apply that to a lot of things: don't buy what you can't afford. It's why I have neither a cat nor a car.

UglyMonsterFace · Mar 29, 2017

B e t h a n y said:
If you can't afford the vet how do you even afford the pet in the first place

I suppose if they've saved up money specifically to buy a pet but don't have enough income coming in to support vet care in case of illness in the future.

seliph · Mar 29, 2017

B e t h a n y said:
If you can't afford the vet how do you even afford the pet in the first place

For the most part I agree but then I think about how one of my dog's previous owners basically just shoved her to us with a bowl and some treats so I guess there's that?

(This was after we've discussed taking her ofc we didn't have a dog forced on us)

forestyne · Mar 29, 2017

Arize said:
Well in that case it's different. However, the owners must ensure that they are doing all they can to fix their situation rather than choose to not do anything about it (I've known people like this, btw). When you have an animal, it's like having a child, so you better be working your butt off to make sure that you can keep providing for your babies. If your animal is sick and needs immediate care and you cannot provide, then you need to find a way to get it done, no matter what. If you find that you cannot provide basic care anymore, then you relinquish ownership until you get back on your feet. And you better always put your animals needs before your own. That's just how I see it.. I don't know if that sounds harsh. I'm not trying to be!

It sounded fine to me, don't worry!

I've met people like that too, who acknowledge that the animal is sick or suffering, says they'll "sort it out" but never do and the poor thing dies.

I was in a situation when I was thirteen, where I had 14 rats (it's a long story) that I loved dearly. One day, they started getting sick and just... dying, I was distraught. Everyone was telling me to just hand them over to an animal charity to put them down, but I had hope. I got a job (I had family there who I practically begged), I was constantly exhausted and I had just started high school too. But my hard work paid off, I got enough money to have the rest of them seen and I saved them!

It is why I'm so passionate about owners getting second chances with their animals, especially if they care about them enough to try (which they should!

).
(Yeah, I know the responsible thing would've been to just hand them over but I'm too stubborn to give up on any animal.)

I work part-time to pay for my new rats' antibiotics and anti-inflammatory prescriptions. I have one of those girls I saved left, she's blind in both eyes and can't use her back legs but she's very happy. She gets fresh fruit and foot massages daily

Bowie · Mar 29, 2017

Agree entirely.

UglyMonsterFace · Mar 29, 2017

forestyne said:
It sounded fine to me, don't worry!

I've met people like that too, who acknowledge that the animal is sick or suffering, says they'll "sort it out" but never do and the poor thing dies.

I was in a situation when I was thirteen, where I had 14 rats (it's a long story) that I loved dearly. One day, they started getting sick and just... dying, I was distraught. Everyone was telling me to just hand them over to an animal charity to put them down, but I had hope. I got a job (I had family there who I practically begged), I was constantly exhausted and I had just started high school too. But my hard work paid off, I got enough money to have the rest of them seen and I saved them! It is why I'm so passionate about owners getting second chances with their animals, especially if they care about them enough to try (which they should! ).
(Yeah, I know the responsible thing would've been to just hand them over but I'm too stubborn to give up on any animal.)

I work part-time to pay for my new rats' antibiotics and anti-inflammatory prescriptions. I have one of those girls I saved left, she's blind in both eyes and can't use her back legs but she's very happy. She gets fresh fruit and foot massages daily

Well I think it's good you worked hard to make sure you can get them treated. I much prefer owners do that first, rather than just straight up abandon them. It's better for the animals to stay with their humans anyway. It's only better for them to be given up if the owner does not want to put in the effort required to take care of them. In that case, that owner should not own pets because when they were needed most they chose to be lazy. Ugh. Hate people like that.

forestyne · Mar 29, 2017

Arize said:
Well I think it's good you worked hard to make sure you can get them treated. I much prefer owners do that first, rather than just straight up abandon them. It's better for the animals to stay with their humans anyway. It's only better for them to be given up if the owner does not want to put in the effort required to take care of them. In that case, that owner should not own pets because when they were needed most they chose to be lazy. Ugh. Hate people like that.

I agree. One of the biggest rules when owning an animal is that the animal needs you, it's human parent and owner. Abandoning an animal or refusing the animal care when it needs it is extremely irresponsible.

If I hadn't stepped up as a pet owner, they would have lived out the rest of their days suffering and would've died painful deaths. It's the basic responsibility you take when going into ownership of an animal. It's okay to not be financially stable 99.9% of the time, but it's a problem when you don't try.

- - - Post Merge - - -

this is peach. she turns 3 in july ^^ She still looks a bit sickly after her myco flare-up but she's the best thing to ever happen to me <3

Bella789 · Mar 29, 2017

Smells argument ( it's coming)!! But in all seriousness

forestyne · Mar 29, 2017

Bella789 said:
Smells argument ( it's coming)!! But in all seriousness

Please only post if you're contributing to the thread. Your post has no discussion value whatsoever.

Plus, there hasn't been an argument, it has been very civil.

- - - Post Merge - - -

Keeping on topic, I think there should be more support charities/programs for people who have fallen into financial crisis and want to keep their pet.

"Can't Afford the Vet, Don't Get the Pet"... thoughts?

Finally Left.

free palestine

Finally Left.

owo

free palestine

Horizon-Bound Egg

Arize from Azulon

Finally Left.

free palestine

I hate pears

Arize from Azulon

Tao, meow!

Arize from Azulon

free palestine

Finally Left.

★

Arize from Azulon

Finally Left.

Senior Member

Finally Left.

Similar threads