Pet Lovers

[Stormygirl]

@Sooner You hit the nail on the head. I was SHAMED and VILLIFIED when my last and final dog got cancer and I was uanble to afford the expensive chemo/radiation that they said would prolong his life maybe a year? Not only did the vet villify me but some neighborhood pet Nazi's did the same. Oh yea they also didnt offer at all to help defray the expenses they expected me to dish out. A little hypocritical that is in MHO. After that embarrassing experience I never rescued/adopted another pet. I am disabled, my own medical expenses have become exclusionary...meaning I have to forgoe many treatments that may or may not prolong my life due to our "pay to play" system in which some win and others lose. Sigh.....when one is disabled that income is cut by almost 2/3. Although I loved my time owning rescues throughout the years I do not feel it would be fair for me to adopt/rescue at this point of my life. (is like having a child when I knew I couldnt afford) I refuse to feel guilty about being responsible even if I do long for another pet.! I do not feel entitled to bring anything into my life that i cannot afford. Why has it gotten so expensive? Even the expected "basics" have become very expensive....shots, heart worm, flea meds, food (cheap food is sometimes junk) It was not always like this...sigh ok I want to look at OPP (other peoples pets LOL)

[tends2dogs]

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@Stormygirl wrote:

@Sooner You hit the nail on the head. I was SHAMED and VILLIFIED when my last and final dog got cancer and I was uanble to afford the expensive chemo/radiation that they said would prolong his life maybe a year? Not only did the vet villify me but some neighborhood pet Nazi's did the same. Oh yea they also didnt offer at all to help defray the expenses they expected me to dish out. A little hypocritical that is in MHO. After that embarrassing experience I never rescued/adopted another pet. I am disabled, my own medical expenses have become exclusionary...meaning I have to forgoe many treatments that may or may not prolong my life due to our "pay to play" system in which some win and others lose. Sigh.....when one is disabled that income is cut by almost 2/3. Although I loved my time owning rescues throughout the years I do not feel it would be fair for me to adopt/rescue at this point of my life. (is like having a child when I knew I couldnt afford) I refuse to feel guilty about being responsible even if I do long for another pet.! I do not feel entitled to bring anything into my life that i cannot afford.

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@Stormygirl  Your post makes me very sad.  First, shame on the vet and neighbors that made you feel this way.  The treatments that you do or don't give a pet are entirely up to you, the pet guardian.  As long as a person doesn't let a pet suffer pain from disease, they are fulfilling the promise of care.  There are people who can afford chemo, x rays, surgery, etc. and often choose not to go ahead with it after careful consideration.  Do they get criticized?  I would hope not, too.  I am sad that you choose not to get another pet because of the ignorance and insensitivity of these so-called animal lovers.  If you can physically care for a pet, afford a decent pet food, and afford the basic vet care (vaccinations - which they only need one set in life), I say a pet would be blessed to be taken in by you.  You sound like you have love to give and in the end, isn't that most important ?

[Sooner]

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@Stormygirl wrote:

@Sooner You hit the nail on the head. I was SHAMED and VILLIFIED when my last and final dog got cancer and I was uanble to afford the expensive chemo/radiation that they said would prolong his life maybe a year? Not only did the vet villify me but some neighborhood pet Nazi's did the same. Oh yea they also didnt offer at all to help defray the expenses they expected me to dish out. A little hypocritical that is in MHO. After that embarrassing experience I never rescued/adopted another pet. I am disabled, my own medical expenses have become exclusionary...meaning I have to forgoe many treatments that may or may not prolong my life due to our "pay to play" system in which some win and others lose. Sigh.....when one is disabled that income is cut by almost 2/3. Although I loved my time owning rescues throughout the years I do not feel it would be fair for me to adopt/rescue at this point of my life. (is like having a child when I knew I couldnt afford) I refuse to feel guilty about being responsible even if I do long for another pet.! I do not feel entitled to bring anything into my life that i cannot afford.

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Bless your heart!  I do feel your pain and hesitation.  I am sorry pet ownership has come to this point.  I think that it will become more and more that you have to be rich to own a dog or cat, and I think that is a real shame.  Much love and friendship will be lost.

I look back on my childhood in a very poor part of the world and think about the wonderful pets of some friends whose families were so poor.  The dogs probably lived a lot on table scraps and spent most of their time outside, played all day with us in the summers, and many lived very long and happy lives.  

I know of one family who lived out in the river bottoms near us and they had a zillion kids and dogs and I don't know how they got by.  I know sometimes we took them clothes or food boxes, but they were so poor.  But the kids grew up and were successful, one became mayor of a city, and they were good people.  I'm thinking how do you say people shouldn't have pets?  People shouldn't be that poor either, but it is a fact and doesn't mean they aren't good and loving people. . . so I don't have an answer on that issue.

[Stormygirl]

@SoonerAww thanks....I think I have gotten used to it now. I tend to have OPP come visit me LOL. Yea no easy answer. I think maybe the marketing and greed has gotten way out of hand. I can remember we always had dogs growing up...and we were considered impoverished. I thinkthe dogs got their rabies shot but maybe was all.....I am not sure about the food and other things. Of course they didnt have an entire toy box full of toys and squeeky things LOL. No easy answer.....after that experience I was so jaded.....probably more towards humanity then animals. LOL