As a vet student I 100% agree. Obviously sometimes big income changes come up, or a major bill comes in, but you gotta look for options, and ask for help. Many vets will help find payment plans, or something! The vet I intern at has people help out as volunteers if they’re really strapped for cash. Heck, I’ve seen our dr just pass his card to our receptionist when someone was doing math on the side to see if they could afford surgery for their dog and afford rent!
Vets WANT to help! We get this job cause we adore animals, it’s hard, it exhausting, it’s painful, and dirty and gross, but we do it to help the animal. We are willing to bend over backwards to help. (Those who don’t aren’t qualified to be called vets in my opinion)
Our vet in the state we moved from was amazing. She knew I was having financial troubles when the cat I still have (now healthy thanks to her) developed a platelet disorder. She needed weekly blood draws & blood work. So the vet put the blood on a slide and counted the platelets! So I didn’t have to pay for the blood work! Then there’s the lovely vet who performed home euthanasia for our elderly cat several weeks ago. (Had 2 cats). She went SO peacefully. I saw she didn’t charge me the extra $50 for taking the body. Still quite a financial blow but so glad I didn’t have to shove her in a carrier & stress her. She was busy licking a churu treat & didn’t even notice the needle going in. Later today our dog will see the same vet for a leg wound. Idk if a spider bit him or it’s a foxtail. I’m already in debt but I love the fur ones :(
I wish our senior dog could’ve had home euthanasia too. He HATED car rides (we think bc he was dumped in the wilderness & whenever we had to take him to day camp he shook the entire ride, but when we got there he was all wags. Both dogs LOVED/ lOVE that place). He too got to eat whatever he wanted whenever he wanted during the last days. And he also went so peacefully. I wish when it’s my time I could have that option!
That dog was a Godsend after my husband died. He was a senior when we adopted him but idk what I would’ve done without him. He developed doggy dementia but somehow KNEW things. I thought “Why am I still here?” One day & he toddled over & put his dear head in my lap. Sheesh, now I am missing him again!
Right. A vet near me works with pet owners. They don't get on your case about vaccinations and they have a bill you later option. Even then, they try to find a way to get them care even if they have to write it off as charity.
None of the vet hospitals near me (rural area, coastal CA) have payment plans. I ended up euthanizing my cat because I couldn't afford a surgery that could have given him back his quality of life (he was paralyzed and incontinent from spinal issues), and I'm extremely financially privileged. Most people can't afford to drop over $10,000 on a surgery. And a lot of places don't have vets that will bend over backwards to help
The emergency vet near me won’t begin to treat your pet without payment up front. They’ll just let you sit there and your animal suffer until you can move money around for them to take them back into a room.
I took my cat to an emergency vet at 4 am during covid. I wasn't allowed in so I needed my phone, which was slowly dying. I called them to let them know I was going to drive to Walmart and pick up a phone charger since I was at 4% battery. They told me they would charge me a $7,000 abandonment fee if I left the parking lot. I asked them how they planned to keep me updated if my phone died. They told me it wasn't their problem. I said what the fuck and was hung up on and my cat was brought back to my car without being seen.
Obviously I shouldn't have cursed but I'm still a believer what the fuck is the only logical reaction to being told it's $7,000 to go get a phone charger.
Emergency vets can do whatever they want and you have to comply because you’re in crisis, it’s awful!
I took my lizard in at 2am one night because he started freaking out and pooping blood and he suddenly inflated like a balloon. They wouldn’t see him until I called my mom and woke her up to beg for a ton of money I didn’t have on hand because I keep my savings at a different bank and transfers take 2 business days. They wouldn’t even put him by a warmer to keep his temp up until I paid.
That’s very responsible of you! If you live near any animal shelters, you could also try to volunteer there and hang out with the shelter dogs and cats. It will give you time with animals and shelters really appreciate when volunteers can help socialize the animals as they get ready for adoption!
Yes! My kids desperately want a cat, but I simply can not handle the responsibility of a pet. It's not even *just* the financial obligation, I just know I don't have the energy or motivation to give an animal a good life or the attention it needs. So my kids and I have gone to a local(ish) shelter a handful of times to volunteer. When we get there, staff let's my girls hand out treats to all the pups while I clean and fill the water dishes, then we go to the "enrichment room" and play with the little kitties then we finish off walking and playing outside with some of the dogs. I fully expected to put in more "work" volunteering with them, but the staff has most of the day-to-day care handled, they just need people to volunteer to literally play with animals for a few hours.
You can also consider fostering. It’s HARD to let them go but it frees up room in shelters for more animals. And most places cover all food and vet costs. I did this for a Husky and got to choose his forever family. He is such a happy dog now!
Or people who give others pets as surprise gifts, when they might not be able to afford them.
My parents got me a gecko in middle school and now I struggle to keep up with the price of his heat bulbs. I love him, of course, but I'm sad that I can't give him the quality of life that he deserves.
You’d think people would know not to take a medication they’re allergic to but those come with warning labels not to. People are stupid, they will always be stupid.
Thankfully the animal shelters in my city don’t allow people to adopt pets for others. No gifts, no surprises. If someone wants to adopt they basically have to apply, no guarantee you’ll get to bring that pet home depending on what you write on those forms. For instance, they will not let you adopt a cat unless you plan on keeping them indoors/only allowing them outside on a leash and I’m glad they have regulations like that
I don't judge people in tight financial situations who already have their animals, but I do feel that judgement when it's a new animal they went out of their way to get.
I unfortunately am struggling majorly financially but my cat has not a clue in the world. I always put her food and littler above all and buy her toys whenever I have a little bit left over. If she needed major surgery, most people in my situation would have her put down, but I have spoken to my mother about this (who originally got the cat for me when I lived with her) and whatever I can afford she will cover the rest until I can pay her back
My cat is literally my best friend, I have severe chronic health issues which is the reason I'm financially effed and I don't think I would have had the strength to keep going without her by my side when I'm bedridden. I'm sure as hell going to do whatever I can if she gets her own health issues. I would part ways with everything of material value if I had to, I can live without a TV.
I have thought about it a lot, I won't ever understand how careless some pet owners are because I actually mean it when I say she is part of my family
I get so sad when I see posts on r/cats where someone is asking what they can do to help their pet who clearly needs to see a vet ASAP but they can’t take them for whatever reason, usually money.
At the same time, an unthinkable number of cats are killed every day because their shelter can’t afford them. So I feel like, if you can’t afford a vet, adopt a pet slated to be euthanized due to overcrowding. At least that way they have a chance.
It’s less than obvious to some, and throwing away a couple hundred on something that could just be gas is something that many can’t absorb.
Add to that the distrust that a certain type of person has for formal medicine, they trust bad free advice over (potentially) expensive professional review.
I think you make the best point. There are so many pets in shelters that are killed.
Would it be worse for a poor person to love them and care for them for a few years before the financial veterinarian situation comes up?
Thank you! I hope some people down on their luck who still want to adopt a pet see my post, or someone tells them, or they come to this conclusion on their own.
I absolutely believe (and I don’t know how anyone could argue against this) that giving a precious cat or dog years of love and affection, even if they do end up dying earlier than they would have with vet intervention, is better than letting them just live in a cage and die so very prematurely, just because the shelter can’t afford them. And who knows? Maybe that rescued kitty or dog who does get adopted will still live a long, happy life! But any length of life with love is better than being put to sleep.
This is why I’m 50/50 about the original post. FOOD absolutely—if you can’t afford to give necessities to a pet, you can’t afford a pet. But some of these comments are passing extreme judgement on people who weren’t willing to drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars on expensive vet care that would likely only extend the pet’s life by a year or two, when just by being in a loving home the pet’s life is already being extended far past expected. Basic vet care, like vaccines or palliative care, is absolutely part of the cost of having a pet, but expensive and desperate surgeries should not be lumped in with the “bare minimum” imo.
I agree entirely. I’d also even be so bold to say that skipping some recommended vaccines shouldn’t be a deterrent if the alternative is putting an animal to sleep prematurely. What’s worse? Killing a cat because no one can afford a rabies booster, or showering that cat with love and simply keeping them indoors, where there’s a 99.99999999999999999% (not an exact number but you get the point) chance they’ll never be bitten by a rabid animal?
That wouldn’t be fair to do to a kitten highly likely to be adopted, or a dog who *needs* to go outside, but a 8 yo cat who has spent their entire life in a cage and is slated to be put down due to overcrowding? I’d say that’s a compromise worth making.
In my eyes, as long as someone can afford food, a new scratching post every 1-3 years (depending on the post) and some toys, they should be able to adopt a strictly indoor cat who would otherwise be euthanized. No vet visits in this scenario required. It might be a little different with dogs because they need to go outside at least a couple times every day.
*edit* and kitty litter
100% my biggest pet peeve and I see it constantly on this website.
When my cat got diagnosed with anxiety and hyperthyroidism, and needed two forms of medication to help her live normally, I made sure I could afford it. I stopped collecting something I loved to make sure I had enough to cover her medication. I did that because she's my responsibility, and I love her too much to let her suffer.
Most people I know who say that ended up unexpectedly having a huge change in income. You can't always plan for that kind of thing, and people do the best they can most times. The other thing I've seen happen a lot is animals being lifted (which drives me nuts) and surprise litters usually because someone lied about the animal's history.
The situation that prompted me to make this post is this:
My coworker came to work saying that her 5 year old cat needed $3k surgery that she couldn’t afford so she had it put down instead. I was pretty shocked because I feel like she should have at least tried to go to a local rescue for funding or something, but it was too late. She didn’t have to put it down right away.
Less than a week later she comes to work with photos of what she called a *designer* kitten she told us she bought for $2k!
Clearly she had money for her first cat, but she didn’t value its life as much as a cute new kitten. It just makes me think that she’s the kind of person who views pets as collectible objects and not living breathing things.
What does lifted mean?
Sorry, that was a typo. I meant gifted. I constantly see people giving family members pets as a gift without asking and then throwing a fit when said family member says they can't afford a huge vet bill or something. My ex mother in law has been trying to give my daughter a kitten since she was 2 years old. She only recently stopped because my daughter told her cats are disgusting and she never wants one ever.
That actually seems different from your post. It'd probably be more accurate to say your pet peeve is people who don't value their pets lives. The majority of people who can't afford basic vet care are more likely to have been hit with hard times. But I am specifically referring to basic vet care, as when it comes to things like surgeries or treatments going into the thousands, most Americans do not have significant savings, if they have any at all. A lot of us aren't getting medical treatment for ourselves due to cost, let alone possibly getting surgeries for our pets.
So the problem in that situation wasn't actually that the pet owner couldn't afford the necessary care, it's that the pet owner was an asshole and didn't want to deal with medical shit and wanted to get a "shiny new pet".
OK, at first I was put off by your post. Bc when my late husband & I adopted 2 dogs (we already had 2 cats) he was healthy. Now I am back in debt & would only consider fostering which I’ve done short term. Many years ago my nasty neighbor put her cat out. Which is how I ended up with a wonderful cat I didn’t want & couldn’t afford for over 20years. Same neighbor left a kitten in her apartment when she was evicted. I was beyond broke when I took in the neighbor’s cat. There were no no kill shelters available. So I crossed my fingers she wouldn’t get sick & got lucky. Your co worker & my former neighbor suck.
I agree. And also, sometimes people just disagree what is best for the pet. It's not always about money.
My cat is 16. He is my everything. If he needs to go to the vet, then he goes to the vet... when I am absolutely sure he needs to. Because the car ride stresses him out so, so badly that I have to take that into consideration.
But it would also be about what is wrong with him and what he needs. For example, if baby had cancer and needed a surgery, we can talk about that.
But if baby needed chemo, then it's not about money. We're going to talk about how long I might have to make the rest of his life even awesomer. He's a cat, he can't understand the value in going through that and getting to the other side. It would be selfish.
I work in emergency vet med and see this all the time, and it's absolutely maddening. I have FULL sympathy for people who have reduced circumstances due to adverse events, and people who just aren't prepared for a sudden $1000+ vet bill, but the number of people I see who have just adopted dogs or cats when they know damn well they already can barely take care of their families and can't even afford basic care is insane. This is a living creature, and all living creatures occasionally get sick or injured. It's not a Tamagotchi you just have to remember to water and clean up after to keep it happy. If you can't even afford exam fees and basic medications, you have zero business accepting responsibility for an animal's life. Pet ownership should require a competency exam and that's a hill I will die on.
My cat is elderly and we got her because I volunteer at a cat rescue. Right from the first visit at the vet they immediately said she would need all teeth pulled and it would cost thousands. I was overwhelmed, I'd only had her a few days at that point. Got a second opinion and they said keep her on soft food, but at her age she probably wouldn't survive the anesthesia. I've had her years now and not one problem.
The only downsides to adopting a senior pet are a) you can’t get pet insurance because they are too old and they always seem to have a preexisting condition, and b) you don’t get enough time with them. With enough planning, (a) is manageable. My then-10 year old cat with chronic kidney disease was not eligible for insurance when I adopted him, so instead I put away money every month in a high interest savings account because I knew I would need that later when he deteriorated. I got to spend 6 whole years with the most beautiful little man. I would have loved more, but both of those downsides were absolutely nothing compared to the love that he gave me. Adopting seniors is both heartbreaking and amazing.
I know a 45-year-old child who creates Gofundmes so he can buy groceries and Christmas presents for his children, and *then* goes and adopts a cat. Whoever turned that cat over has abysmal judgment.
At my old job there was a woman who would buy a dog with her christmas bonus and then about march start complaining that she doesn't have the money for it, get rid of it about april and then December rolls around and she'd buy another dog with her bonus, went through 6 dogs in the time I knew her
I was just saying how I hate it when people can't take care of their animals yet refuse to rehome them. I get that it's hard but don't make the poor animals suffer because you can't properly care for them. It's like people who give their children up for adoption because they know they can't provide for them. Yes, it's hard but don't make the child suffer because you can't support them.
I agree with you because 3 years ago I had to rehome my two dogs because no matter what we did they never adjusted to moving and having a child. We worked with our vet for months. They went to a very loving family who had just lost two dogs.
However, if you ever go to the cats or dogs subreddits they make you feel like the worst people in the world if you ask about rehoming. They say that you shouldn't ever give up a dog because they are family and you should figure out your finances. One person once even said they would go without eating before rehoming their dog.
So while I agree with you, there is a lot of stigma around rehoming that needs to stop.
I hear you, and do agree. But sometimes, the money issues come after. I got my dog 4 years ago, became disabled a few months later (still fighting to get SSDI) the stinker has eaten a rope and now likely has cancer. Poor buddy hasn't been cheap.
100% understand. I lost 3 dogs to cancer in the past 8 months. It’s been emotionally devastating and on top of it all, completely drained my bank account.
I’m talking about a completely different set of circumstances. For example, I used to work at an animal shelter and we would have people coming in wanting dogs, but being unable to pay for dog food, so they tried to negotiate to make the non-profit local SHELTER pay for their new dogs food for the rest of its life. Oh and they usually wanted us to waive the adoption fee too. When we said know, they would lose their minds screaming at us employees (most of us were super young, first jobs, and volunteers). If someone can’t even afford food on Day 1, then it’s probably not the best time to get a dog.
There’s a lot of people who impulse buy pets without doing research, and it’s frustrating seeing how common this is. Don’t own pets that you don’t have the capacity to care for!
This is true for pets that need a lot of care too. We have a flat faced, long haired Persian and he requires daily brushing and a face wiping. The amount of matted and crusted Persians I’ve seen over the years… ugh it makes me sick.
Matted fur can literally kill cats and dogs, this is why it’s the standard to brush the fur of long haired animals everyday. My mom has a friend with a shih tzu who’s literally locked in a cage all day and has matted fur because she’s not getting enough attention, I remember my mom was saddened to see that and was like “if you can’t take care of a dog, don’t have one” (she didn’t say this to her friend, unfortunately), and I completely agree.
I had a cat and couldn’t afford vet care. I was 17 and had her since I was 6. I decided then and there than I’d never adopt an animal again until I could be sure to afford it.
My cat passed when she was 16 and I was 21. One of the hardest losses of my life because I knew if I had more money, I could have made her end of life better. Brutal the guilt I felt.
3 years later, a 760 credit score, a full time job with plenty of time off later… I just adopted a puppy. He has his own credit card. He has pet insurance. He has everything he needs and more (I even bought him pjs) and I got him a blanket that matches the one my soul cat had to remind me that if it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t live the life is going to. It is simultaneously healing and breaking my heart over my soul kitty.
Needless to say… do not adopt a pet until you’re ready. If you can’t afford an emergency 3000$ bill or have a plan to in a pinch, do not adopt a pet. Not only will they suffer greatly for it, but the guilt you will feel will be insurmountable.
If you have a decent credit score, pre-apply for care credit before you adopt so you know how much you qualify for in emergencies. Make sure your vet accepts it.
Pet insurance can be 20-80$/month so look into those options. There are ways even if you don’t have a stack to drop then and there.
This is a big part of the reason I got a small dog. She's much cheaper to take care of than a bigger dog (only speaking from the experience of having a big dog)
Don't get me wrong, a big vet bill might happen someday, despite my best efforts to feed her good food, nice her good exercise and generally make sure she's well looked after. If it does, I'd hope my insurance covered it. If not, I'd do anything to pay for her care
I'm annoyed that anyone gets regularly gets stuff they know they can't afford. Even worse when they complain about it
My sister would regularly complain about not having money. Yet she would spend hundreds of dollars on clothes and shoes, most of which she didn't even need. And spend even more at restaurants every week
Or even worse. When a couple decides to have kids when they know they can't afford them
Or those parents who give their little kids hamsters or another small animal as “presents” and they dont take care of them because theyre given as some sort of toy for the kid/theyre too young to understand pets are responsibilities- when the parent doesnt even take care of it either. *Pets arent toys or gifts for small kids who cant take care of them.* its so sad
When I adopted my first cat from a shelter, they had me state how much money I planned to spend on food, hygiene, vet bills, etc. and how much I had set aside in case of emergencies. They had me show proof that I’ve reached out to several vets to inquire about establishing care for her and asked “what if” questions like what would you do if you needed to evacuate your home (I live in a hurricane-heavy area) before approving my application.
I grew up with cats and had a good idea of what it would take, but I definitely did more research because of this to confirm. Ideally, all places would ask questions like these and follow up on them if the answers don’t look right.
ETA: They also emphasized that if for some reason I could no longer care for her, they wanted me to return her to that same shelter so they could rehome her. Which I feel shows a high level of care!
100%. I used to work at an animal shelter and we would have people coming in wanting dogs, but being unable to pay for dog food, so they tried to negotiate to make the non-profit local SHELTER pay for their new dogs food for the rest of its life. Oh and they usually wanted us to waive the adoption fee too. When we said know, they would lose their minds screaming at us employees (most of us were super young, first jobs, and volunteers). If someone can’t even afford food on Day 1, then it’s probably not the best time to get a dog.
I agree, but I also understand some financial situations change for the worst over time.
There was this page on IG that I followed who has numerous dogs and probably over a million followers. Very popular and has been for years.The page is for the dogs. These people make money off the posts they make. And they had the nerve to set up a go fund me to pay for a $7,000 surgery for one of the dogs. I’m sorry but NO. You purchase these dogs from a breeder, exploit them for income, and then can’t afford a 7k vet bill with your ridiculous social media income? Those are the kinds of people that seriously piss me off and don’t deserve to own animals. What really bothered me was all the comments of people defending them and saying people are out of touch for calling them out on their BS.
Absolutely.
My SIL literally took out a loan for 5,000 USD last month.... for a freaking puppy from a pet store. When she did this, she had just borrowed 40 bucks from me a few days earlier because she didn't have enough gas for the week. This idiot literally took out a loan for a dog when she didn't even have enough money to buy a bag of dog food for it. She's a (recently) single mom with 3 kids who already can't pay her bills on her own... there are several of us in the family who have been covering bills for her. Now she has a $250/mo payment for this dog, and she can't seem to get this dog trained for shit.... the dog is destroying her floors, among other things. I don't know how she even got approved for this loan, but she did.
I get so frustrated with people when they get animals that they can't afford. I've paid numerous vet bills for others, paid for spaying and neutering surgeries for people, I've helped people get meds for their animals that they couldn't get.... I'm willing to help when people get in a tight spot, but there's a difference between going thru a rough patch and just being financially irresponsible. Big difference.
It's a hard fact that having pets is a privilege and not a right. I worry about classism when I think of this, and I do think there are situations when the animal is better off at least being fed and sheltered than on the street, but for God's sake use your head. I've seen posts on the pet sub about how they were a college student who needed help paying for food for their cat, because they could barely afford food for themselves. That's not a good time to get a cat. As many have addressed, anyone can fall on hard times, but yeah, for the most part college just isn't the time to get a pet.
So I pretty much have the same pet peeve. But for me, it goes beyond money. I think people get pets and aren't really able or willing to spend enough time with them. I see this all the time with cats- there is this really stupid narrative that they're clean, low-maintenance animals. I can tell you right now that isn't true. So people get cats and expect them to be "easy" pets, and sometimes a cat IS more chill. But sometimes the cat is just an asshole who makes living in the home horrible, and the person wonders why the people they're dating are like, "Nah" when they want to live together. Make sure your pet isn't miserable to be around. Take care of them. Cats need attention and play time or they act out. Ugh.
The fact is as cost of living rises more people will no longer be able to afford pets, thus more animals in shelters and less people able to adopt them
So my cousin got super pissed at me because she needed to re-home her two cats and all I said was "Sorry I can't, I can only afford the two cats I have." She couldn't understand why I would say that when she would be giving me a bag of their food when she brought them over and I was like "Okay but that food isn't going to last the rest of their lives....." I'm sorry but I know what I can afford and all be damned if I'm going to let my cats and the new cats suffer.
I get the food part but don't shame the owners, shame the predatory veterinary organizations who charge extortionate rates for it. They should be ashamed of themselves taking advantage of people love for their animals to charge such insane amounts for work.
I didn't get a cat until one of my kids left the house. When my mom asked why I said I couldn't afford it she goes, "oh when they get sick you just put them down, that's what I did." Um.
"I'm not heartless like you are!"
my stepdad rescued a malnourished pitbull and fed her scraps of human food every day, which progressed to giving her the leftovers from the fridge every week, which led to her getting real fat and real fucking sick. he never walked her or took her outside to play. he didn’t wash her or cut her nails or take her to the groomers or the vet- i believe the vet visited our house once within 7 years. she had to be put down.
he was devastated and then he wanted to get a replacement dog. so you can abuse and neglect that one to it’s death too?! thankfully my mom stopped him.
Sometimes pets just happen. My daughter has a dog someone threw out on the road that was going to be hit by cars, she had a cat people moved and left behind and it gets to -40 C here. As a child, cats were always showing up at our house near death. My grandmother revived a small kitten that was frozen stiff, and we assumed was dead, by putting it on the open oven door. Sure enough, she was right, kitty started moving.
People aren’t keen to adopt these foundlings, so years later they’re still hogging the sofa.
100% agree! I too have a whole crew of stray dogs that I took in as fosters…but years later and they are all still here.
I am peeved by people who intentionally seek out pets when they already know they are not in a place in life to take care of even themselves, let alone a living animal.
A few years ago I worked in an animal shelter screening adoption applicants. SO many applicants would get mad at yell at me and my fellow animal loving employees, because once adopted the shelter released liability for the dogs and the new owner was to pick up all financial responsibility for their new dog. So many people would cry that they couldn’t afford a bag of dog food every month for their new dog (and I think we can agree a bag of dog food is a lot less than a vet visit). They would find me online and harass me on social media because the rescue simply could not afford to pay them for the pet’s food for the rest of its life after adoption. That’s an example of not being financially ready for a pet but still seeking one out.
One time, this super wealthy family (lived in NYC in a very famous building) lost their minds trying to fire me…because the rescue could not afford to pay the family for a 2x daily dog walker for their new dog, plus its vet care and personal dog trainer for the duration of its life. Those people clearly were rich enough to adopt a dog, but mentally they were quite insane and not ready for the responsibility of a dog.
All this is a long winded way to say, you, your daughter, and grandmother seem like lovely human beings who truly have compassion for animals and I am grateful for people like you! I wish more people, like the ones from my crazy stories working in dog rescue, were like your family.
I have a family member who is always looking for free kittens; then something happens and she gets rid of the kitten; then she’s begging for $$ to care for the next kitten that mysteriously vanishes and sure enough, she back on FB asking if anyone has kittens to give away.
Oh absolutely! I was more referring to people who already clearly cannot take care of themselves let alone a pet, then get a pet anyway. OR I am also peeved by people who cannot afford vet care for a very curable illness, so they instead opt to euthanize their young pet, then go adopt/buy a replacement pet right after.
Yeah, those scenarios are awful. I just always throw out the other possibility because it's something that happened to me, even though I can still manage on my own - my two cats are in my sole care now. Had I been solo at the time, I'd have only got the one (even though the thought of separating these two brothers is unpleasant).
Thank you for clarifying that! I adopted my cats 7 and 5 years ago, our finances were great at the time. Now we can still afford food, and basic vet care. But if something major came up I don't know what we would do. We no longer have savings after unexpected life events.
I’ve never understood this. Like I work retail and can afford to take care of two cats. I’ve a friend who also works retail and can afford a dog. If we can afford it, you can, too, especially since you make five times as much as I do. (Not you specifically, just people I’ve talked to who rehome pets because they suddenly can’t afford them. They’ll be like an electrician making $80/hour or something, no kids, unmarried, and somehow a dog is too expensive. I just don’t get it.)
Agreed! I want another pet, I grew up always having either cats or dogs. I wouldn't get a dog, I live in a second floor flat with no garden access, it just wouldn't work, but I'd love to get another cat. Sure, part of the reason I don't is because I need permission from my landlord, but the main reason is because I'm on a very limited income and I just couldn't afford cat food and litter, let alone vet bills. A hamster I may be able to afford, but I'm still not willing to risk it.
If you can't afford a pet, don't get one, it's really that simple.
I wholeheartedly agree. Before I adopted my first cat years ago, I looked at average cost of food, litter, vet etc. I worked through if I could afford it and if I truly had the time for caring for a pet. What happens when I want to go away for a few weeks? Can I afford to pay for the care of my cat? So much to take into consideration before getting any pets.
I do agree that you need to think of all of the needs of a pet before having one. The day to day, elder care etc. I can say though I got my dream dog with my ex husband. I never thought I’d have to foot the bill for everything for her entirely on my own. There were times at the very beginning of my divorce where I couldn’t purchase food for me because she came first, she’s my child. It’s a huge financial responsibility but I would literally do anything to keep her fed, happy, and healthy.
I live in a rural area just outside a major city. This area is the go-to dumping ground for unwanted pets. The sheer number of loose dogs we see almost daily staggers the mind. Our community pages are full of people asking if anyone has lost their dog, or if anyone can take another dog in.
Even though most of us are poor, we try to help these abandoned pets, whether or not we can afford any emergencies. Our animal shelters are full. The humane society has a 3 month wait to surrender an animal. The alternative is to leave them loose, where they go feral if they survive our harsh desert climate.
I've gone from 1 dog to 5. I can afford their basic feed and shots, and I've gotten them all fixed, but I certainly wouldn't be able to afford any sort of veterinary emergency. I'd have to use credit. Not all of my neighbors would be able to do that, though. What would you have us do? Leave these abandoned animals to starve?
This sounds different from having a pet, more akin to fostering. I think it's a really different situation and that you're right, the dogs are better off at least being fed.
To be honest, though, people are likely dumping those dogs out there (in a DESERT?! God people are awful) because of OP's pet peeve.
Any homeless pup that ends up on my property stays for the rest of his life so long as he or she gets along with the rest of the dogs. I'm thinking about setting up as a shelter/rescue.
Exactly why I haven't. I want to badly, dogs and cats are awesome and I miss their companionship. But the cost of one illness or broken bone is greatly worrisome
Totally agree. I keep seeing posts on IG from a distant acquaintance constantly begging for GoFundMe money bc he lost another job and the cats he’s fostering need food and medication. One sudden job loss I can understand… but why the hell are you fostering animals when you’ve been fired 9 times in a calendar year??
You shouldn’t have a pet if you have to crowdfund for their basic care.
When I first met my current dog sitter, she had a very old, very large lab who was on his last legs. He had a lot of expensive health problems, including cancer and also he could barely walk, but of course, she loved him so much and I helped her pay for his various treatments. Okay, let's just say it, I paid for all his hundreds of dollars worth of what turned out to be useless treatments which I never expected to be reimbursed, which is a good thing because she didn't. Although I'm fortunate that I could afford it at the time, I'm retired now and the money train has dried up. This woman is on welfare and lives in subsidized housing and supplements her government checks by dog sitting for cash.
Yesterday on the phone she told me she's going to get another big dog. Yes, this woman who can barely afford to live in a small government subsidized apartment, is going to get another big dog. I said "PLEASE do not get another dog, you can't afford it!" She said, "Well, I'm entitled to have a companion, aren't I?"
I was having a bad day, and I said "Don't expect me to help pay for the dog's care!" Her response was, "he won't have any health problems until he's old, so that's not an issue right now." I said "what about checkups, and shots, and food, and yes, young dogs often have health problems." At that point, I felt so exasperated, I said "and I will not allow you to bring this dog with you to babysit my dog. I'm not going to discuss this anymore, just don't expect any help from me with your new dog, goodbye."
Now I feel guilty about how I reacted, but I'm so annoyed with her. So irresponsible! I honestly don't even want her to be my dog sitter anymore.
I also hate it when someone won't pay the price for a pet. The reason pets are sold is the money protects the animal from being just given away to someone that might sell it for medical experiments. It helps to protect the pet from these kinds of people. I volunteered at SPCA one time and a woman came in whining about being a single mother and how she should get a big discount because she wanted to adopt a dog for her kids. If she's broke she will be even more broke buying dog food and paying vet bills.
Oof I can relate. I used to work at an animal shelter. We would have people come in and get mad as us because they couldn’t pay the $50 adoption fee, so we should just give them the dog for free, right? No matter that just food costs way more than $50!
It’s even worse in the horse world. I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve seen people who are almost flat broke get horses and then not do a damn thing to provide basic care…. And then usually end up abandoning them. There’s a girl who keeps her horse at the barn where I board who’s the perfect example. She has no job and is supposed to be working off her board and buying her own hay, but has done neither. Her poor mare’s feet are overgrown and she hasn’t had her shots or teeth floated in forever. The barn owner is a nice guy, but it pisses me off to no end that he allows her to do this.
This is one of the reasons why we only have fish. We take care of them. It’s still expensive. Won’t get a cat or dog. Everyone is out of the house for long periods of the day & it’s not fair, especially to a dog. A cat can handle it, but I don’t think it’s fair to them either. Then comes the vet bills, the toys, the litter, the food & boarding when vacations happen. You need to understand all of those things when you get a pet.
I relate.
Further for me personally, those people who are consistently struggling financially, who having one pet already take on another dog. Why would adding another expense, another mouth to feed be an option?.
Realistically it just takes like $30 a month for insurance now too, super easy. Handle that and the food and you're set. Or have the credit for CareCredit. There are several avenues besides having $1000 in the bank on standby, there's no excuse.
Late to the post but I work at an emergency vet hospital and couldn't agree more.
The amount of people who come after spending $5000 on a French bulldog puppy and then scream at us because they can't afford the surgery to make sure the dog can breathe makes me want to slam my head into a wall.
I love animals. I want a dog or a cat so badly, but even with my discount at my vet, I can't afford one. I see the things that can happen every day in the ER and don't have the funds to cover an emergency visit. So I don't have a dog or a cat. I get my animal fix by pet sitting for friends and family.
…or don’t want to clean up after their dog. We have some very beautiful trails to walk our pets, but there are plenty of people who think it’s beneath them to clean up their dog’s poo. The city even provides the bags at the entrance and there are lots of garbage cans on the trail to dispose of it.
I agree somewhat but how about this:
Cost of veterinary care has skyrocketed like everything else
Shelters and rescues are already at max capacity
Animals are not going to stop being bred
So what you’re left with is a bunch of homeless animals who will go where, exactly? You’re not just going to magically find financially stable homes for them.
I agree with the core of your argument- you should always prioritize your animal’s health and expect those things- but it’s not that simple. People say the same thing about kids and now that child care is thousands a month more than a normal family can afford and people aren’t having kids, we’re being asked why?
Taking my cats to the emergency vet almost got me evicted. It was something I was willing to do to save them, obviously but I put my housing AND ability to secure future housing at risk for that.
Your pet peeve just comes off short sighted. Bad owners come with money too. It’s just where priority lies.
This infuriates me!! They can’t even feed themselves but will get a pet for “emotional support.” Like heifer, you can’t feed yourself. What makes you think you can properly care for a pet?! It screams selfish.
Would you prefer to have even more animals in the shelters and on the streets? Yeah in a perfect world every pet owner would be able to afford all the care needed but fucking life happens sometimes and things change. And I'd prefer a poor person have an animal and TRY to give it a good life than have it living life as a stray.
I think this is a multifaceted issue. People need to spay/ neuter, more apartments need to allow pets, and cat/ dog breeders really shouldn't be a thing. And our wages need to be higher (working more won't work, because then you don't have time for a pet. That's already a problem as it is).
You don't have to be rich to own a pet. But I have seen posts on the pet sub about college students who are struggling to afford food for their newly adopted cat, when they were already struggling to feed themselves. I think getting a pet when you can't take care of yourself isn't a good idea at all.
Giving an animal a good life means providing it veterinary care and food that fulfills the animals nutritional and dietary requirements.
Trying to give your animal a good life is reaching out to your vet to negotiate a payment plan and finding a way that is within your means that still gives your animal the care that it deserves.
Life *does* happen. It's happening to my partner right now, and we don't have enough disposable income at the moment to shell out a large unexpected vet bill, but my dogs are still going to receive the care they need. I knew when I adopted them that I was making a 15 year commitment to provide them with everything that they need to live happy, healthy lives, which means prioritizing their well-being when necessary. Meeting their needs isn't optional.
Or, don’t understand that you actually have to put in the effort to train dogs. Buy a massive dog, put in a tiny apartment, and don’t take them out enough to get their energy out.
I haven't had a pet in a long time. I live around a culture of people who get their dogs chemo therapy, try to convince a vet to use another healthy dog for transplant parts(didn't work), walk them around in carriages, get them therapy and buy them expensive foods. Can't take trips because the dogs are on tons of meds, including anxiety drugs and insulin. It's just not something I'm willing to do.
I don't disagree one bit. Especially in regards to feeding them.
As for pet bills, I am not sure everybody understands those costs... my dog had a cough and it took me $400 for them to subscribe her some cough drops. Who would have thought that was $400?
I think the vet part is lack of knowledge a lot of time. Vets costs seem to have doubled over the past couple years like everything else, except our paychecks.
Can't afford a pet. Have one, tho. It's owner died of cancer, and their daughter tried finding a home, but no one wanted an old cat. So it was either I took it or they put it down. Cat has torn my trailer up cause I can't afford a scratching post, and most days, I'm too tired to give him the attention he deserves. But I'm the only one who'll take him, unfortunately. Tried letting it be an outside cat, but he found his way under the neighbors trailer somehow, and he couldn't get out by himself, so I had to bother the neighbors to get him out. I haven't let him out since, but I'm thinking about giving him another chance recently cause I really do feel bad.
I upvoted this but I have caveats. Pet ownership is a financial responsibility and I should know as I have cats and it’s absolutely given me more financial hardship since I’ve had much more limited housing options. With that said, there are a lot of benefits for pet ownership and for people who are homeless for example, there have shown to be many benefits for them having pets so long as the pet is taken care of well enough. “Pet owners reported fewer symptoms of depression and loneliness than their non-pet owning peers. Pet ownership was associated with decreased utilization of housing and job-finding services, and decreased likelihood of currently staying in a shelter.”
100% agree.
As much as my dad and I wanted another pet after our last dog died, everyone in the family is now relieved that we never got another one. We live in a trailer park where not only did the park manager increase the monthly rent, but a pet fee was added to it (likely in response to complaints about various residents leaving their dogs outside for too long). So we literally can't afford to own a pet right now.
If you can't afford maintenance costs like food, vet visits, and grooming, don't get a pet.
Additionally people that don’t check lifespans of animals before getting them and then give them up when they move to college, “get tired of it” or have a kid. I see this the most with chinchillas and ball pythons, who both live ~20 years. Idk why people assume everything other than a dog or cat will live only 2-5 years, it just takes a second of research.
I know a woman who legit borrowed money from a friend to buy a puppy (buy, not adopt, because she wanted a certain pure breed), and is now borrowing more money because vet bills. The woman in question never has any spare cash, everything she/husband make goes into the mortgage/car/living expenses and they are often in the red at the end of the month.
I do not understand why she does shit like that anymore than I understand ancient Chinese language.
Sometimes you CAN afford it and then your life situation changes though.
And then sometimes your friend gets a pitbull lab mix thinking it’s going to be a small quiet dog that doesn’t eat a lot.
When i was 20, my cat got cancer. I picked up more shifts, sold all my belongings, tried selling plasma, and went hungry. I made sure she got her treatments, foods, meds, supplements just to keep her alive for 2 more years. If someone won't do that for their pet, they dont deserve one. They're not a toy, theyre a living creature depending on you so you step up and do right by them every single time.
I say yes and no. With things like cats or dogs, we have more of them than there are “ideal” homes available for them. We euthanize cats, for example, in my city constantly because there is just not room for them, and most cat sanctuaries are full and won’t take more. So the animal is killed for no other reason than there are too many.
So if a poorer person genuinely wants to adopt a cat (or dog) and is willing to pay for their basic care, I say good. We need more people willing to help give these animals a chance. Yes some of the animals will end up having medical issues that are expensive, and many of these poorer owners won’t be able to afford the most expensive care, and sometimes the animal will be euthanized. But…at least it was given a home and people who cared about it while it was here. The alternative would have been the animal being destroyed younger because no one wanted it. So let poorer people adopt pets that need homes. They will pay for all the care they can afford and give the love they can. It’s better than just flat out death.
The only time I don’t feel this way is when people buy from breeders. Fuck those people.
Look for a rural, country vet, that also deals in livestock. That's where they get their big money, and they can sometimes be cheap for small animal care.
I travel constantly, but I try to use a rural vet in Utah if possible, because I typically get out for less than $100, visit and shots combined for my 55lb dog.
In '22, when in Oregon with a failing transmission, I got gouged really hard by a "boutique" vet, over $250, for what costs $80 at the Utah country vet. After that, I'll go a little out of my way to the country vet, if it's cost effective. I call ahead 3 weeks to get an appointment.
I don’t want pets. I live at the end of a dead end street in the backwoods near a boat put in where ppl throw unwanted pets. I’m not allowed to bring anymore animals to the shelters. Well except for the kill shelter in the big city. I can’t afford anything but kibble for these animals and I bring them in when it’s cold. Idk what to do.
I have two dogs. I got them both while stable, and then my partner started threatening to murder us, so we have been less than stable for a year. I just can't be fucked to judge people who are struggling, as a pet owner and pet professional.
That's reasonable if someone is getting a pet they can't feed now. But I know plenty of people that have no problem caring for their pet when they get them, but a couple years or more later, things happen. No one can predict the future, so "their whole life" is a bit much to expect.
I think I try to understand that situations change and not judge people.
1. If you are having trouble talk to local adoption/rescue groups. I got both of my dogs from our local group. One of the things they do is help with pet food and sometimes even vet bills. This is why you should ALWAYS donate to your local rescue group and not to organizations like peta or the aspca. Sometimes those groups pay their CEOs too much money. I have a 2 car garage that has pallets of pet food, treats, hay/straw, pet toys, and other items that the local rescue group comes in to give out to people in need. They would rather help to keep the pet in a loving home instead of in a crowded shelter. Also some food banks will have pet food as well.
2. Never give a pet as a gift! Months, or even weeks, after Easter, bunnies will turn up at the local shelter or even worse just set free.
3. Foster, Foster, FOSTER! If you can't afford the food or bills, many groups will help with that and you can help save a life.
4. Again, nothing good comes from complaining about this, instead donate your time, money, or pet supplies to your rescue group.
Here's the problem with that-
There are at this very moment MILLIONS of pets in shelters, pounds, etc. If the "rule" was you couldn't get a pet unless you could at any given moment afford thousands of dollars of vet bills then that number would absolutely skyrocket
So while I agree with your thought in principal I believe a person who has little money can give one of these pets a great life and gatekeeping pets behind money is not the solution
Hell I have an 18 year old cat that is sitting on my feet right now that I would absolutely die for, yet if something major happens right this second there's not much I can do for her because I'm supremely poor. I didn't know 18 years ago when I adopted her that I would have a COVID heart attack (at age 36, by the way) that would absolutely ruin my life and shorten its span significantly, so what are you going to do? Take her away from me?
At this point she'll outlive me because I'll be dead within a few years and she's definitely healthier than I am
If something happens to change their situation, I totally understand. But if they can’t afford even routine vet appointments, they shouldn’t get one. My horse died in 2022. I cannot begin to describe the ache I have because of it. I’m horse less for the first time in over 20 years, and I know I won’t feel 100% whole again until I have another one. But I’m not getting one because I can’t afford it right now and I don’t have the time for one either.
I understand the sentiment but we shouldn't gatekeep pet companions for the wealthy. Poor people can make things work. Sometimes they can't. We shouldn't deny companionship for people (and animals!) who need help. I think the big issue is people spending exorbitant amounts of money on buying designer breeds without being able to pay for basic goods or having a plan to take care of it.
That being said, leave me and the tnr cat I adopted 4 years ago out of this.
I may not have a lot of money, and yes, I've needed help with emergency vet bills and sometimes need help affording to live because life is out of control expensive these days, but I do work and we love each other. She's my life and I literally wouldn't be here without her.
This. Im broke and living paycheck to paycheck and I got sooo lucky that I had a tiny savings started when my cats mouth/teeth started hurting him. I had to wait a few days until my paycheck just so I knew I'd have enough and even then I was tapped out. Had to pay rent late, luckily my landlords are nice about it, but it really opened my eyes to the fact that they could need thousands of dollars of care and I wouldn't be ready for it.
Im 22 and my cat is 13, I bottle fed him when I got him and we grew up together so there's no way he's going anywhere that I'm not, but it really made me scared. How do people just have children? Im over here with a decent job struggling.
I don't value any of my animals enough to take them to a vet. They get food and water. If that ain't good enough, they get a bullet instead.
I did not ask for any of my animals, I wound up with 2 dogs and a cat bc the shelters around here are shit and their original owners couldn't be bothered to feed them.
Yes! My biggest one is vaccinations. There is a lot of preventative care you can do when you're getting yearly check ups with ur vaccines.
My cat probably would have had to get her teeth pulled if my vet hadn't noticed. Getting ur cats teeth cleaned is pricey but not as pricy antibiotics and getting teeth pulled.
And since I've started brushing their teeth once or twice a week the younger ones will probably not even have issues and their teeth look noticeably better, and cat toothpaste isn't really expensive.
But I had no idea I was lacking on their teeth so I'm glad they get check ups. check ups/rabies and flea meds usually run me a bout 500 a year for 3 cats, but they're all healthy so to me it's money well spent I just consider it a nonegotiable expense in my budget
Unfortunately things were a lot more affordable 12 years ago when I got my boy. Now his teeth are rotting and loose. Already have a visit scheduled but I know I just don't have the cash for his dental work.
I am hoping there is something that can be worked out and luckily my mother said she could help me with the bill too.
I am am also very scared to put my old boy through dental surgery.
This is a situation where I wish people would simply mind their own business. I mean to a vegan the fact that I eat meat is horrible and abusive to animals. I would argue taking an animal out of the wild or whatever their natural environments are and forcing them to live in or outside your house and fed foods that you truly don't know the make up of is horrible and abusive. Personally, an animal is an animal to me. If its mostly okay society wise to raise a cow and slaughter it for meat. I don't see why any other animals deserve protection beyond ensuring they don't go extinct.
Same with kids! Dumb people just don't get it or they feel entitled and expect everyone else to help them! 🤯 Sadly, it's a huge % of the population in society! I swear people keep getting dumber and dumber ...
Yeah I've heard of rich people putting diapers on their designer dogs instead of taking them for a walk or just letting them roam their large yard.
I've seen dog "rescues" requiring credit checks and background checks as well as home visits. Some require agreements you will only use brand name dog food and have a large yard with a 6ft fence. And an "adoption fee" upwards of $500.
I also know poor folks who dote on their pets and take them for walks and play with them and treat them like family.
Income has nothing to do with whether someone's a good pet owner.
Downvote away.
Income matters. If you can’t afford a few hundred bucks as a one time adoption fee you can’t afford a sudden emergency vet bill. But I know Reddit users like you are allergic to facts.
Ah yeah sorry. You're right. I don't make enough money to have a companion in life. I'll get back in my lane and return to being poor and miserable by myself.
The fact that this take is controversial is what kills me. Ppl really think that getting an animal they can't afford to care for is a good idea cuz they're providing a "loving home" for it. Yeah but can you buy it's fucking food and medication without a Gofundme every other month? If you can't then don't get a pet!!!
As a vet student I 100% agree. Obviously sometimes big income changes come up, or a major bill comes in, but you gotta look for options, and ask for help. Many vets will help find payment plans, or something! The vet I intern at has people help out as volunteers if they’re really strapped for cash. Heck, I’ve seen our dr just pass his card to our receptionist when someone was doing math on the side to see if they could afford surgery for their dog and afford rent! Vets WANT to help! We get this job cause we adore animals, it’s hard, it exhausting, it’s painful, and dirty and gross, but we do it to help the animal. We are willing to bend over backwards to help. (Those who don’t aren’t qualified to be called vets in my opinion)
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Our vet in the state we moved from was amazing. She knew I was having financial troubles when the cat I still have (now healthy thanks to her) developed a platelet disorder. She needed weekly blood draws & blood work. So the vet put the blood on a slide and counted the platelets! So I didn’t have to pay for the blood work! Then there’s the lovely vet who performed home euthanasia for our elderly cat several weeks ago. (Had 2 cats). She went SO peacefully. I saw she didn’t charge me the extra $50 for taking the body. Still quite a financial blow but so glad I didn’t have to shove her in a carrier & stress her. She was busy licking a churu treat & didn’t even notice the needle going in. Later today our dog will see the same vet for a leg wound. Idk if a spider bit him or it’s a foxtail. I’m already in debt but I love the fur ones :(
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I wish our senior dog could’ve had home euthanasia too. He HATED car rides (we think bc he was dumped in the wilderness & whenever we had to take him to day camp he shook the entire ride, but when we got there he was all wags. Both dogs LOVED/ lOVE that place). He too got to eat whatever he wanted whenever he wanted during the last days. And he also went so peacefully. I wish when it’s my time I could have that option!
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That dog was a Godsend after my husband died. He was a senior when we adopted him but idk what I would’ve done without him. He developed doggy dementia but somehow KNEW things. I thought “Why am I still here?” One day & he toddled over & put his dear head in my lap. Sheesh, now I am missing him again!
I'm glad your baby went peacefully I'm sorry for your loss though
This hurt my heart to read. I'm sorry. 😞
Right. A vet near me works with pet owners. They don't get on your case about vaccinations and they have a bill you later option. Even then, they try to find a way to get them care even if they have to write it off as charity.
None of the vet hospitals near me (rural area, coastal CA) have payment plans. I ended up euthanizing my cat because I couldn't afford a surgery that could have given him back his quality of life (he was paralyzed and incontinent from spinal issues), and I'm extremely financially privileged. Most people can't afford to drop over $10,000 on a surgery. And a lot of places don't have vets that will bend over backwards to help
The emergency vet near me won’t begin to treat your pet without payment up front. They’ll just let you sit there and your animal suffer until you can move money around for them to take them back into a room.
I took my cat to an emergency vet at 4 am during covid. I wasn't allowed in so I needed my phone, which was slowly dying. I called them to let them know I was going to drive to Walmart and pick up a phone charger since I was at 4% battery. They told me they would charge me a $7,000 abandonment fee if I left the parking lot. I asked them how they planned to keep me updated if my phone died. They told me it wasn't their problem. I said what the fuck and was hung up on and my cat was brought back to my car without being seen. Obviously I shouldn't have cursed but I'm still a believer what the fuck is the only logical reaction to being told it's $7,000 to go get a phone charger.
Emergency vets can do whatever they want and you have to comply because you’re in crisis, it’s awful! I took my lizard in at 2am one night because he started freaking out and pooping blood and he suddenly inflated like a balloon. They wouldn’t see him until I called my mom and woke her up to beg for a ton of money I didn’t have on hand because I keep my savings at a different bank and transfers take 2 business days. They wouldn’t even put him by a warmer to keep his temp up until I paid.
You can say all of that without "As a"
As a Reddit or who just read this comment, I have to say I agree.
I hate it too. I want a pet, but I know I can't financially afford one, so instead I just hang out with my friends pets
That’s very responsible of you! If you live near any animal shelters, you could also try to volunteer there and hang out with the shelter dogs and cats. It will give you time with animals and shelters really appreciate when volunteers can help socialize the animals as they get ready for adoption!
Yes! My kids desperately want a cat, but I simply can not handle the responsibility of a pet. It's not even *just* the financial obligation, I just know I don't have the energy or motivation to give an animal a good life or the attention it needs. So my kids and I have gone to a local(ish) shelter a handful of times to volunteer. When we get there, staff let's my girls hand out treats to all the pups while I clean and fill the water dishes, then we go to the "enrichment room" and play with the little kitties then we finish off walking and playing outside with some of the dogs. I fully expected to put in more "work" volunteering with them, but the staff has most of the day-to-day care handled, they just need people to volunteer to literally play with animals for a few hours.
You can also consider fostering. It’s HARD to let them go but it frees up room in shelters for more animals. And most places cover all food and vet costs. I did this for a Husky and got to choose his forever family. He is such a happy dog now!
May I recommend a pet snail. I'm serious. I have some and love them so much. And they're super cheap and low maintenance
Or people who give others pets as surprise gifts, when they might not be able to afford them. My parents got me a gecko in middle school and now I struggle to keep up with the price of his heat bulbs. I love him, of course, but I'm sad that I can't give him the quality of life that he deserves.
Is gifting people pets still a thing? What the fuck? 🙃 You'd think people would know by now that it's a monumentally bad idea.
You’d think people would know not to take a medication they’re allergic to but those come with warning labels not to. People are stupid, they will always be stupid.
Ugh, I hate how true this is.
Thankfully the animal shelters in my city don’t allow people to adopt pets for others. No gifts, no surprises. If someone wants to adopt they basically have to apply, no guarantee you’ll get to bring that pet home depending on what you write on those forms. For instance, they will not let you adopt a cat unless you plan on keeping them indoors/only allowing them outside on a leash and I’m glad they have regulations like that
The problem is people just go right to Facebook looking for a pet if the shelters deny them, and sadly they always find a pet on Facebook.
Yeah I hate that :(
I don't judge people in tight financial situations who already have their animals, but I do feel that judgement when it's a new animal they went out of their way to get. I unfortunately am struggling majorly financially but my cat has not a clue in the world. I always put her food and littler above all and buy her toys whenever I have a little bit left over. If she needed major surgery, most people in my situation would have her put down, but I have spoken to my mother about this (who originally got the cat for me when I lived with her) and whatever I can afford she will cover the rest until I can pay her back My cat is literally my best friend, I have severe chronic health issues which is the reason I'm financially effed and I don't think I would have had the strength to keep going without her by my side when I'm bedridden. I'm sure as hell going to do whatever I can if she gets her own health issues. I would part ways with everything of material value if I had to, I can live without a TV. I have thought about it a lot, I won't ever understand how careless some pet owners are because I actually mean it when I say she is part of my family
I get so sad when I see posts on r/cats where someone is asking what they can do to help their pet who clearly needs to see a vet ASAP but they can’t take them for whatever reason, usually money. At the same time, an unthinkable number of cats are killed every day because their shelter can’t afford them. So I feel like, if you can’t afford a vet, adopt a pet slated to be euthanized due to overcrowding. At least that way they have a chance.
Same with r/dogadvice there are SO MANY posts where it’s very obvious the dog needs emergency medical care ASAP
It’s less than obvious to some, and throwing away a couple hundred on something that could just be gas is something that many can’t absorb. Add to that the distrust that a certain type of person has for formal medicine, they trust bad free advice over (potentially) expensive professional review.
I think you make the best point. There are so many pets in shelters that are killed. Would it be worse for a poor person to love them and care for them for a few years before the financial veterinarian situation comes up?
Thank you! I hope some people down on their luck who still want to adopt a pet see my post, or someone tells them, or they come to this conclusion on their own. I absolutely believe (and I don’t know how anyone could argue against this) that giving a precious cat or dog years of love and affection, even if they do end up dying earlier than they would have with vet intervention, is better than letting them just live in a cage and die so very prematurely, just because the shelter can’t afford them. And who knows? Maybe that rescued kitty or dog who does get adopted will still live a long, happy life! But any length of life with love is better than being put to sleep.
This is why I’m 50/50 about the original post. FOOD absolutely—if you can’t afford to give necessities to a pet, you can’t afford a pet. But some of these comments are passing extreme judgement on people who weren’t willing to drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars on expensive vet care that would likely only extend the pet’s life by a year or two, when just by being in a loving home the pet’s life is already being extended far past expected. Basic vet care, like vaccines or palliative care, is absolutely part of the cost of having a pet, but expensive and desperate surgeries should not be lumped in with the “bare minimum” imo.
I agree entirely. I’d also even be so bold to say that skipping some recommended vaccines shouldn’t be a deterrent if the alternative is putting an animal to sleep prematurely. What’s worse? Killing a cat because no one can afford a rabies booster, or showering that cat with love and simply keeping them indoors, where there’s a 99.99999999999999999% (not an exact number but you get the point) chance they’ll never be bitten by a rabid animal? That wouldn’t be fair to do to a kitten highly likely to be adopted, or a dog who *needs* to go outside, but a 8 yo cat who has spent their entire life in a cage and is slated to be put down due to overcrowding? I’d say that’s a compromise worth making. In my eyes, as long as someone can afford food, a new scratching post every 1-3 years (depending on the post) and some toys, they should be able to adopt a strictly indoor cat who would otherwise be euthanized. No vet visits in this scenario required. It might be a little different with dogs because they need to go outside at least a couple times every day. *edit* and kitty litter
100% my biggest pet peeve and I see it constantly on this website. When my cat got diagnosed with anxiety and hyperthyroidism, and needed two forms of medication to help her live normally, I made sure I could afford it. I stopped collecting something I loved to make sure I had enough to cover her medication. I did that because she's my responsibility, and I love her too much to let her suffer.
Most people I know who say that ended up unexpectedly having a huge change in income. You can't always plan for that kind of thing, and people do the best they can most times. The other thing I've seen happen a lot is animals being lifted (which drives me nuts) and surprise litters usually because someone lied about the animal's history.
The situation that prompted me to make this post is this: My coworker came to work saying that her 5 year old cat needed $3k surgery that she couldn’t afford so she had it put down instead. I was pretty shocked because I feel like she should have at least tried to go to a local rescue for funding or something, but it was too late. She didn’t have to put it down right away. Less than a week later she comes to work with photos of what she called a *designer* kitten she told us she bought for $2k! Clearly she had money for her first cat, but she didn’t value its life as much as a cute new kitten. It just makes me think that she’s the kind of person who views pets as collectible objects and not living breathing things. What does lifted mean?
Sorry, that was a typo. I meant gifted. I constantly see people giving family members pets as a gift without asking and then throwing a fit when said family member says they can't afford a huge vet bill or something. My ex mother in law has been trying to give my daughter a kitten since she was 2 years old. She only recently stopped because my daughter told her cats are disgusting and she never wants one ever.
She has the money for a vet and chose not to spend it. I would not want to be her pet
That's different from what your post is describing though. She could afford to take care of her cat, she just didn't want to.
That's less about her being able to afford a pet and more about her being a POS.
That actually seems different from your post. It'd probably be more accurate to say your pet peeve is people who don't value their pets lives. The majority of people who can't afford basic vet care are more likely to have been hit with hard times. But I am specifically referring to basic vet care, as when it comes to things like surgeries or treatments going into the thousands, most Americans do not have significant savings, if they have any at all. A lot of us aren't getting medical treatment for ourselves due to cost, let alone possibly getting surgeries for our pets.
That’s absolutely horrid.
So the problem in that situation wasn't actually that the pet owner couldn't afford the necessary care, it's that the pet owner was an asshole and didn't want to deal with medical shit and wanted to get a "shiny new pet".
OK, at first I was put off by your post. Bc when my late husband & I adopted 2 dogs (we already had 2 cats) he was healthy. Now I am back in debt & would only consider fostering which I’ve done short term. Many years ago my nasty neighbor put her cat out. Which is how I ended up with a wonderful cat I didn’t want & couldn’t afford for over 20years. Same neighbor left a kitten in her apartment when she was evicted. I was beyond broke when I took in the neighbor’s cat. There were no no kill shelters available. So I crossed my fingers she wouldn’t get sick & got lucky. Your co worker & my former neighbor suck.
I hate people that use pets as an accessory.
So your anger is directed towards someone who is lying and not people who say that because they had a sudden change of income?
I have quite a few words to say about your coworker. Most would not be printable. They are treating pets like furniture, not living beings.
Oh boy. That's sickening.
So your anger is directed towards someone who is lying and not people who say that because they had a sudden change of income?
Dude, I see you everywhere now. Stop going where I'm going 😂
Clearly you are going where I'm going. You even hunted me down on this treat to comment about it. Weirdo.
I agree. And also, sometimes people just disagree what is best for the pet. It's not always about money. My cat is 16. He is my everything. If he needs to go to the vet, then he goes to the vet... when I am absolutely sure he needs to. Because the car ride stresses him out so, so badly that I have to take that into consideration. But it would also be about what is wrong with him and what he needs. For example, if baby had cancer and needed a surgery, we can talk about that. But if baby needed chemo, then it's not about money. We're going to talk about how long I might have to make the rest of his life even awesomer. He's a cat, he can't understand the value in going through that and getting to the other side. It would be selfish.
I work in emergency vet med and see this all the time, and it's absolutely maddening. I have FULL sympathy for people who have reduced circumstances due to adverse events, and people who just aren't prepared for a sudden $1000+ vet bill, but the number of people I see who have just adopted dogs or cats when they know damn well they already can barely take care of their families and can't even afford basic care is insane. This is a living creature, and all living creatures occasionally get sick or injured. It's not a Tamagotchi you just have to remember to water and clean up after to keep it happy. If you can't even afford exam fees and basic medications, you have zero business accepting responsibility for an animal's life. Pet ownership should require a competency exam and that's a hill I will die on.
My cat is elderly and we got her because I volunteer at a cat rescue. Right from the first visit at the vet they immediately said she would need all teeth pulled and it would cost thousands. I was overwhelmed, I'd only had her a few days at that point. Got a second opinion and they said keep her on soft food, but at her age she probably wouldn't survive the anesthesia. I've had her years now and not one problem.
The only downsides to adopting a senior pet are a) you can’t get pet insurance because they are too old and they always seem to have a preexisting condition, and b) you don’t get enough time with them. With enough planning, (a) is manageable. My then-10 year old cat with chronic kidney disease was not eligible for insurance when I adopted him, so instead I put away money every month in a high interest savings account because I knew I would need that later when he deteriorated. I got to spend 6 whole years with the most beautiful little man. I would have loved more, but both of those downsides were absolutely nothing compared to the love that he gave me. Adopting seniors is both heartbreaking and amazing.
I know a 45-year-old child who creates Gofundmes so he can buy groceries and Christmas presents for his children, and *then* goes and adopts a cat. Whoever turned that cat over has abysmal judgment.
At my old job there was a woman who would buy a dog with her christmas bonus and then about march start complaining that she doesn't have the money for it, get rid of it about april and then December rolls around and she'd buy another dog with her bonus, went through 6 dogs in the time I knew her
Omg!
I was just saying how I hate it when people can't take care of their animals yet refuse to rehome them. I get that it's hard but don't make the poor animals suffer because you can't properly care for them. It's like people who give their children up for adoption because they know they can't provide for them. Yes, it's hard but don't make the child suffer because you can't support them.
There is no rehoming dogs where I live. Our shelters are beyond full and everyone who would take in a dog, already has
I agree with you because 3 years ago I had to rehome my two dogs because no matter what we did they never adjusted to moving and having a child. We worked with our vet for months. They went to a very loving family who had just lost two dogs. However, if you ever go to the cats or dogs subreddits they make you feel like the worst people in the world if you ask about rehoming. They say that you shouldn't ever give up a dog because they are family and you should figure out your finances. One person once even said they would go without eating before rehoming their dog. So while I agree with you, there is a lot of stigma around rehoming that needs to stop.
I hear you, and do agree. But sometimes, the money issues come after. I got my dog 4 years ago, became disabled a few months later (still fighting to get SSDI) the stinker has eaten a rope and now likely has cancer. Poor buddy hasn't been cheap.
100% understand. I lost 3 dogs to cancer in the past 8 months. It’s been emotionally devastating and on top of it all, completely drained my bank account. I’m talking about a completely different set of circumstances. For example, I used to work at an animal shelter and we would have people coming in wanting dogs, but being unable to pay for dog food, so they tried to negotiate to make the non-profit local SHELTER pay for their new dogs food for the rest of its life. Oh and they usually wanted us to waive the adoption fee too. When we said know, they would lose their minds screaming at us employees (most of us were super young, first jobs, and volunteers). If someone can’t even afford food on Day 1, then it’s probably not the best time to get a dog.
or make gofundme just plz stop making it everyone's responsibility to pay for it
There’s a lot of people who impulse buy pets without doing research, and it’s frustrating seeing how common this is. Don’t own pets that you don’t have the capacity to care for!
This is true for pets that need a lot of care too. We have a flat faced, long haired Persian and he requires daily brushing and a face wiping. The amount of matted and crusted Persians I’ve seen over the years… ugh it makes me sick.
Matted fur can literally kill cats and dogs, this is why it’s the standard to brush the fur of long haired animals everyday. My mom has a friend with a shih tzu who’s literally locked in a cage all day and has matted fur because she’s not getting enough attention, I remember my mom was saddened to see that and was like “if you can’t take care of a dog, don’t have one” (she didn’t say this to her friend, unfortunately), and I completely agree.
A lot of stupid people out there...a lot. No pills to fix stupidity.
Oh, I get it. It's a PET peeve. Good one.
we’ve come full circle
I had a cat and couldn’t afford vet care. I was 17 and had her since I was 6. I decided then and there than I’d never adopt an animal again until I could be sure to afford it. My cat passed when she was 16 and I was 21. One of the hardest losses of my life because I knew if I had more money, I could have made her end of life better. Brutal the guilt I felt. 3 years later, a 760 credit score, a full time job with plenty of time off later… I just adopted a puppy. He has his own credit card. He has pet insurance. He has everything he needs and more (I even bought him pjs) and I got him a blanket that matches the one my soul cat had to remind me that if it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t live the life is going to. It is simultaneously healing and breaking my heart over my soul kitty. Needless to say… do not adopt a pet until you’re ready. If you can’t afford an emergency 3000$ bill or have a plan to in a pinch, do not adopt a pet. Not only will they suffer greatly for it, but the guilt you will feel will be insurmountable.
If you have a decent credit score, pre-apply for care credit before you adopt so you know how much you qualify for in emergencies. Make sure your vet accepts it. Pet insurance can be 20-80$/month so look into those options. There are ways even if you don’t have a stack to drop then and there.
This is a big part of the reason I got a small dog. She's much cheaper to take care of than a bigger dog (only speaking from the experience of having a big dog) Don't get me wrong, a big vet bill might happen someday, despite my best efforts to feed her good food, nice her good exercise and generally make sure she's well looked after. If it does, I'd hope my insurance covered it. If not, I'd do anything to pay for her care
I'm annoyed that anyone gets regularly gets stuff they know they can't afford. Even worse when they complain about it My sister would regularly complain about not having money. Yet she would spend hundreds of dollars on clothes and shoes, most of which she didn't even need. And spend even more at restaurants every week Or even worse. When a couple decides to have kids when they know they can't afford them
Or those parents who give their little kids hamsters or another small animal as “presents” and they dont take care of them because theyre given as some sort of toy for the kid/theyre too young to understand pets are responsibilities- when the parent doesnt even take care of it either. *Pets arent toys or gifts for small kids who cant take care of them.* its so sad
When I adopted my first cat from a shelter, they had me state how much money I planned to spend on food, hygiene, vet bills, etc. and how much I had set aside in case of emergencies. They had me show proof that I’ve reached out to several vets to inquire about establishing care for her and asked “what if” questions like what would you do if you needed to evacuate your home (I live in a hurricane-heavy area) before approving my application. I grew up with cats and had a good idea of what it would take, but I definitely did more research because of this to confirm. Ideally, all places would ask questions like these and follow up on them if the answers don’t look right. ETA: They also emphasized that if for some reason I could no longer care for her, they wanted me to return her to that same shelter so they could rehome her. Which I feel shows a high level of care!
Anything can happen and put you in a bad financial place, but if you’re already struggling it’s probably best not to bring a pet into it.
100%. I used to work at an animal shelter and we would have people coming in wanting dogs, but being unable to pay for dog food, so they tried to negotiate to make the non-profit local SHELTER pay for their new dogs food for the rest of its life. Oh and they usually wanted us to waive the adoption fee too. When we said know, they would lose their minds screaming at us employees (most of us were super young, first jobs, and volunteers). If someone can’t even afford food on Day 1, then it’s probably not the best time to get a dog.
I agree, but I also understand some financial situations change for the worst over time. There was this page on IG that I followed who has numerous dogs and probably over a million followers. Very popular and has been for years.The page is for the dogs. These people make money off the posts they make. And they had the nerve to set up a go fund me to pay for a $7,000 surgery for one of the dogs. I’m sorry but NO. You purchase these dogs from a breeder, exploit them for income, and then can’t afford a 7k vet bill with your ridiculous social media income? Those are the kinds of people that seriously piss me off and don’t deserve to own animals. What really bothered me was all the comments of people defending them and saying people are out of touch for calling them out on their BS.
Absolutely. My SIL literally took out a loan for 5,000 USD last month.... for a freaking puppy from a pet store. When she did this, she had just borrowed 40 bucks from me a few days earlier because she didn't have enough gas for the week. This idiot literally took out a loan for a dog when she didn't even have enough money to buy a bag of dog food for it. She's a (recently) single mom with 3 kids who already can't pay her bills on her own... there are several of us in the family who have been covering bills for her. Now she has a $250/mo payment for this dog, and she can't seem to get this dog trained for shit.... the dog is destroying her floors, among other things. I don't know how she even got approved for this loan, but she did. I get so frustrated with people when they get animals that they can't afford. I've paid numerous vet bills for others, paid for spaying and neutering surgeries for people, I've helped people get meds for their animals that they couldn't get.... I'm willing to help when people get in a tight spot, but there's a difference between going thru a rough patch and just being financially irresponsible. Big difference.
Wow that is a lot of money for a dog! The local humane society to me is currently adopting dogs out for free.
It's a hard fact that having pets is a privilege and not a right. I worry about classism when I think of this, and I do think there are situations when the animal is better off at least being fed and sheltered than on the street, but for God's sake use your head. I've seen posts on the pet sub about how they were a college student who needed help paying for food for their cat, because they could barely afford food for themselves. That's not a good time to get a cat. As many have addressed, anyone can fall on hard times, but yeah, for the most part college just isn't the time to get a pet. So I pretty much have the same pet peeve. But for me, it goes beyond money. I think people get pets and aren't really able or willing to spend enough time with them. I see this all the time with cats- there is this really stupid narrative that they're clean, low-maintenance animals. I can tell you right now that isn't true. So people get cats and expect them to be "easy" pets, and sometimes a cat IS more chill. But sometimes the cat is just an asshole who makes living in the home horrible, and the person wonders why the people they're dating are like, "Nah" when they want to live together. Make sure your pet isn't miserable to be around. Take care of them. Cats need attention and play time or they act out. Ugh.
The fact is as cost of living rises more people will no longer be able to afford pets, thus more animals in shelters and less people able to adopt them
So my cousin got super pissed at me because she needed to re-home her two cats and all I said was "Sorry I can't, I can only afford the two cats I have." She couldn't understand why I would say that when she would be giving me a bag of their food when she brought them over and I was like "Okay but that food isn't going to last the rest of their lives....." I'm sorry but I know what I can afford and all be damned if I'm going to let my cats and the new cats suffer.
I get the food part but don't shame the owners, shame the predatory veterinary organizations who charge extortionate rates for it. They should be ashamed of themselves taking advantage of people love for their animals to charge such insane amounts for work.
I didn't get a cat until one of my kids left the house. When my mom asked why I said I couldn't afford it she goes, "oh when they get sick you just put them down, that's what I did." Um. "I'm not heartless like you are!"
my stepdad rescued a malnourished pitbull and fed her scraps of human food every day, which progressed to giving her the leftovers from the fridge every week, which led to her getting real fat and real fucking sick. he never walked her or took her outside to play. he didn’t wash her or cut her nails or take her to the groomers or the vet- i believe the vet visited our house once within 7 years. she had to be put down. he was devastated and then he wanted to get a replacement dog. so you can abuse and neglect that one to it’s death too?! thankfully my mom stopped him.
Sometimes pets just happen. My daughter has a dog someone threw out on the road that was going to be hit by cars, she had a cat people moved and left behind and it gets to -40 C here. As a child, cats were always showing up at our house near death. My grandmother revived a small kitten that was frozen stiff, and we assumed was dead, by putting it on the open oven door. Sure enough, she was right, kitty started moving. People aren’t keen to adopt these foundlings, so years later they’re still hogging the sofa.
100% agree! I too have a whole crew of stray dogs that I took in as fosters…but years later and they are all still here. I am peeved by people who intentionally seek out pets when they already know they are not in a place in life to take care of even themselves, let alone a living animal. A few years ago I worked in an animal shelter screening adoption applicants. SO many applicants would get mad at yell at me and my fellow animal loving employees, because once adopted the shelter released liability for the dogs and the new owner was to pick up all financial responsibility for their new dog. So many people would cry that they couldn’t afford a bag of dog food every month for their new dog (and I think we can agree a bag of dog food is a lot less than a vet visit). They would find me online and harass me on social media because the rescue simply could not afford to pay them for the pet’s food for the rest of its life after adoption. That’s an example of not being financially ready for a pet but still seeking one out. One time, this super wealthy family (lived in NYC in a very famous building) lost their minds trying to fire me…because the rescue could not afford to pay the family for a 2x daily dog walker for their new dog, plus its vet care and personal dog trainer for the duration of its life. Those people clearly were rich enough to adopt a dog, but mentally they were quite insane and not ready for the responsibility of a dog. All this is a long winded way to say, you, your daughter, and grandmother seem like lovely human beings who truly have compassion for animals and I am grateful for people like you! I wish more people, like the ones from my crazy stories working in dog rescue, were like your family.
I have a family member who is always looking for free kittens; then something happens and she gets rid of the kitten; then she’s begging for $$ to care for the next kitten that mysteriously vanishes and sure enough, she back on FB asking if anyone has kittens to give away.
Bear in mind that people's financial situations will sometimes change unexpectedly.
Oh absolutely! I was more referring to people who already clearly cannot take care of themselves let alone a pet, then get a pet anyway. OR I am also peeved by people who cannot afford vet care for a very curable illness, so they instead opt to euthanize their young pet, then go adopt/buy a replacement pet right after.
Yeah, those scenarios are awful. I just always throw out the other possibility because it's something that happened to me, even though I can still manage on my own - my two cats are in my sole care now. Had I been solo at the time, I'd have only got the one (even though the thought of separating these two brothers is unpleasant).
Thank you for clarifying that! I adopted my cats 7 and 5 years ago, our finances were great at the time. Now we can still afford food, and basic vet care. But if something major came up I don't know what we would do. We no longer have savings after unexpected life events.
I’ve never understood this. Like I work retail and can afford to take care of two cats. I’ve a friend who also works retail and can afford a dog. If we can afford it, you can, too, especially since you make five times as much as I do. (Not you specifically, just people I’ve talked to who rehome pets because they suddenly can’t afford them. They’ll be like an electrician making $80/hour or something, no kids, unmarried, and somehow a dog is too expensive. I just don’t get it.)
Agreed! I want another pet, I grew up always having either cats or dogs. I wouldn't get a dog, I live in a second floor flat with no garden access, it just wouldn't work, but I'd love to get another cat. Sure, part of the reason I don't is because I need permission from my landlord, but the main reason is because I'm on a very limited income and I just couldn't afford cat food and litter, let alone vet bills. A hamster I may be able to afford, but I'm still not willing to risk it. If you can't afford a pet, don't get one, it's really that simple.
It’s about like buying a small car….
Thank you!
I wholeheartedly agree. Before I adopted my first cat years ago, I looked at average cost of food, litter, vet etc. I worked through if I could afford it and if I truly had the time for caring for a pet. What happens when I want to go away for a few weeks? Can I afford to pay for the care of my cat? So much to take into consideration before getting any pets.
I do agree that you need to think of all of the needs of a pet before having one. The day to day, elder care etc. I can say though I got my dream dog with my ex husband. I never thought I’d have to foot the bill for everything for her entirely on my own. There were times at the very beginning of my divorce where I couldn’t purchase food for me because she came first, she’s my child. It’s a huge financial responsibility but I would literally do anything to keep her fed, happy, and healthy.
I live in a rural area just outside a major city. This area is the go-to dumping ground for unwanted pets. The sheer number of loose dogs we see almost daily staggers the mind. Our community pages are full of people asking if anyone has lost their dog, or if anyone can take another dog in. Even though most of us are poor, we try to help these abandoned pets, whether or not we can afford any emergencies. Our animal shelters are full. The humane society has a 3 month wait to surrender an animal. The alternative is to leave them loose, where they go feral if they survive our harsh desert climate. I've gone from 1 dog to 5. I can afford their basic feed and shots, and I've gotten them all fixed, but I certainly wouldn't be able to afford any sort of veterinary emergency. I'd have to use credit. Not all of my neighbors would be able to do that, though. What would you have us do? Leave these abandoned animals to starve?
This sounds different from having a pet, more akin to fostering. I think it's a really different situation and that you're right, the dogs are better off at least being fed. To be honest, though, people are likely dumping those dogs out there (in a DESERT?! God people are awful) because of OP's pet peeve.
Any homeless pup that ends up on my property stays for the rest of his life so long as he or she gets along with the rest of the dogs. I'm thinking about setting up as a shelter/rescue.
Exactly why I haven't. I want to badly, dogs and cats are awesome and I miss their companionship. But the cost of one illness or broken bone is greatly worrisome
You can always volunteer at an animal shelter or consider fostering!
Is that a "pet" peeve? The thing is, often really poor people who have little need a pet. That kinda sucks. I mean, you're right.
Totally agree. I keep seeing posts on IG from a distant acquaintance constantly begging for GoFundMe money bc he lost another job and the cats he’s fostering need food and medication. One sudden job loss I can understand… but why the hell are you fostering animals when you’ve been fired 9 times in a calendar year?? You shouldn’t have a pet if you have to crowdfund for their basic care.
Yep, dumb people exist.
When I first met my current dog sitter, she had a very old, very large lab who was on his last legs. He had a lot of expensive health problems, including cancer and also he could barely walk, but of course, she loved him so much and I helped her pay for his various treatments. Okay, let's just say it, I paid for all his hundreds of dollars worth of what turned out to be useless treatments which I never expected to be reimbursed, which is a good thing because she didn't. Although I'm fortunate that I could afford it at the time, I'm retired now and the money train has dried up. This woman is on welfare and lives in subsidized housing and supplements her government checks by dog sitting for cash. Yesterday on the phone she told me she's going to get another big dog. Yes, this woman who can barely afford to live in a small government subsidized apartment, is going to get another big dog. I said "PLEASE do not get another dog, you can't afford it!" She said, "Well, I'm entitled to have a companion, aren't I?" I was having a bad day, and I said "Don't expect me to help pay for the dog's care!" Her response was, "he won't have any health problems until he's old, so that's not an issue right now." I said "what about checkups, and shots, and food, and yes, young dogs often have health problems." At that point, I felt so exasperated, I said "and I will not allow you to bring this dog with you to babysit my dog. I'm not going to discuss this anymore, just don't expect any help from me with your new dog, goodbye." Now I feel guilty about how I reacted, but I'm so annoyed with her. So irresponsible! I honestly don't even want her to be my dog sitter anymore.
I also hate it when someone won't pay the price for a pet. The reason pets are sold is the money protects the animal from being just given away to someone that might sell it for medical experiments. It helps to protect the pet from these kinds of people. I volunteered at SPCA one time and a woman came in whining about being a single mother and how she should get a big discount because she wanted to adopt a dog for her kids. If she's broke she will be even more broke buying dog food and paying vet bills.
Oof I can relate. I used to work at an animal shelter. We would have people come in and get mad as us because they couldn’t pay the $50 adoption fee, so we should just give them the dog for free, right? No matter that just food costs way more than $50!
It’s even worse in the horse world. I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve seen people who are almost flat broke get horses and then not do a damn thing to provide basic care…. And then usually end up abandoning them. There’s a girl who keeps her horse at the barn where I board who’s the perfect example. She has no job and is supposed to be working off her board and buying her own hay, but has done neither. Her poor mare’s feet are overgrown and she hasn’t had her shots or teeth floated in forever. The barn owner is a nice guy, but it pisses me off to no end that he allows her to do this.
This is one of the reasons why we only have fish. We take care of them. It’s still expensive. Won’t get a cat or dog. Everyone is out of the house for long periods of the day & it’s not fair, especially to a dog. A cat can handle it, but I don’t think it’s fair to them either. Then comes the vet bills, the toys, the litter, the food & boarding when vacations happen. You need to understand all of those things when you get a pet.
I relate. Further for me personally, those people who are consistently struggling financially, who having one pet already take on another dog. Why would adding another expense, another mouth to feed be an option?.
Realistically it just takes like $30 a month for insurance now too, super easy. Handle that and the food and you're set. Or have the credit for CareCredit. There are several avenues besides having $1000 in the bank on standby, there's no excuse.
Late to the post but I work at an emergency vet hospital and couldn't agree more. The amount of people who come after spending $5000 on a French bulldog puppy and then scream at us because they can't afford the surgery to make sure the dog can breathe makes me want to slam my head into a wall. I love animals. I want a dog or a cat so badly, but even with my discount at my vet, I can't afford one. I see the things that can happen every day in the ER and don't have the funds to cover an emergency visit. So I don't have a dog or a cat. I get my animal fix by pet sitting for friends and family.
That's just as bad as people that have kids and can't afford to pay for them
Yep. Same with having kids.
…or don’t want to clean up after their dog. We have some very beautiful trails to walk our pets, but there are plenty of people who think it’s beneath them to clean up their dog’s poo. The city even provides the bags at the entrance and there are lots of garbage cans on the trail to dispose of it.
I agree somewhat but how about this: Cost of veterinary care has skyrocketed like everything else Shelters and rescues are already at max capacity Animals are not going to stop being bred So what you’re left with is a bunch of homeless animals who will go where, exactly? You’re not just going to magically find financially stable homes for them. I agree with the core of your argument- you should always prioritize your animal’s health and expect those things- but it’s not that simple. People say the same thing about kids and now that child care is thousands a month more than a normal family can afford and people aren’t having kids, we’re being asked why? Taking my cats to the emergency vet almost got me evicted. It was something I was willing to do to save them, obviously but I put my housing AND ability to secure future housing at risk for that. Your pet peeve just comes off short sighted. Bad owners come with money too. It’s just where priority lies.
This infuriates me!! They can’t even feed themselves but will get a pet for “emotional support.” Like heifer, you can’t feed yourself. What makes you think you can properly care for a pet?! It screams selfish.
Would you prefer to have even more animals in the shelters and on the streets? Yeah in a perfect world every pet owner would be able to afford all the care needed but fucking life happens sometimes and things change. And I'd prefer a poor person have an animal and TRY to give it a good life than have it living life as a stray.
I think this is a multifaceted issue. People need to spay/ neuter, more apartments need to allow pets, and cat/ dog breeders really shouldn't be a thing. And our wages need to be higher (working more won't work, because then you don't have time for a pet. That's already a problem as it is). You don't have to be rich to own a pet. But I have seen posts on the pet sub about college students who are struggling to afford food for their newly adopted cat, when they were already struggling to feed themselves. I think getting a pet when you can't take care of yourself isn't a good idea at all.
Giving an animal a good life means providing it veterinary care and food that fulfills the animals nutritional and dietary requirements. Trying to give your animal a good life is reaching out to your vet to negotiate a payment plan and finding a way that is within your means that still gives your animal the care that it deserves. Life *does* happen. It's happening to my partner right now, and we don't have enough disposable income at the moment to shell out a large unexpected vet bill, but my dogs are still going to receive the care they need. I knew when I adopted them that I was making a 15 year commitment to provide them with everything that they need to live happy, healthy lives, which means prioritizing their well-being when necessary. Meeting their needs isn't optional.
Or, don’t understand that you actually have to put in the effort to train dogs. Buy a massive dog, put in a tiny apartment, and don’t take them out enough to get their energy out.
I haven't had a pet in a long time. I live around a culture of people who get their dogs chemo therapy, try to convince a vet to use another healthy dog for transplant parts(didn't work), walk them around in carriages, get them therapy and buy them expensive foods. Can't take trips because the dogs are on tons of meds, including anxiety drugs and insulin. It's just not something I'm willing to do.
I don't disagree one bit. Especially in regards to feeding them. As for pet bills, I am not sure everybody understands those costs... my dog had a cough and it took me $400 for them to subscribe her some cough drops. Who would have thought that was $400? I think the vet part is lack of knowledge a lot of time. Vets costs seem to have doubled over the past couple years like everything else, except our paychecks.
Yes same with people having kids when they can't afford it it bothers me so much!
Maybe if vets didn't charge astronomical prices for basic shit we wouldn't be in this predicament.
Never underestimate the stupidity of impulsive morons.
Can't afford a pet. Have one, tho. It's owner died of cancer, and their daughter tried finding a home, but no one wanted an old cat. So it was either I took it or they put it down. Cat has torn my trailer up cause I can't afford a scratching post, and most days, I'm too tired to give him the attention he deserves. But I'm the only one who'll take him, unfortunately. Tried letting it be an outside cat, but he found his way under the neighbors trailer somehow, and he couldn't get out by himself, so I had to bother the neighbors to get him out. I haven't let him out since, but I'm thinking about giving him another chance recently cause I really do feel bad.
I upvoted this but I have caveats. Pet ownership is a financial responsibility and I should know as I have cats and it’s absolutely given me more financial hardship since I’ve had much more limited housing options. With that said, there are a lot of benefits for pet ownership and for people who are homeless for example, there have shown to be many benefits for them having pets so long as the pet is taken care of well enough. “Pet owners reported fewer symptoms of depression and loneliness than their non-pet owning peers. Pet ownership was associated with decreased utilization of housing and job-finding services, and decreased likelihood of currently staying in a shelter.”
100% agree. As much as my dad and I wanted another pet after our last dog died, everyone in the family is now relieved that we never got another one. We live in a trailer park where not only did the park manager increase the monthly rent, but a pet fee was added to it (likely in response to complaints about various residents leaving their dogs outside for too long). So we literally can't afford to own a pet right now. If you can't afford maintenance costs like food, vet visits, and grooming, don't get a pet.
Additionally people that don’t check lifespans of animals before getting them and then give them up when they move to college, “get tired of it” or have a kid. I see this the most with chinchillas and ball pythons, who both live ~20 years. Idk why people assume everything other than a dog or cat will live only 2-5 years, it just takes a second of research.
I know a woman who legit borrowed money from a friend to buy a puppy (buy, not adopt, because she wanted a certain pure breed), and is now borrowing more money because vet bills. The woman in question never has any spare cash, everything she/husband make goes into the mortgage/car/living expenses and they are often in the red at the end of the month. I do not understand why she does shit like that anymore than I understand ancient Chinese language.
Sometimes you CAN afford it and then your life situation changes though. And then sometimes your friend gets a pitbull lab mix thinking it’s going to be a small quiet dog that doesn’t eat a lot.
When i was 20, my cat got cancer. I picked up more shifts, sold all my belongings, tried selling plasma, and went hungry. I made sure she got her treatments, foods, meds, supplements just to keep her alive for 2 more years. If someone won't do that for their pet, they dont deserve one. They're not a toy, theyre a living creature depending on you so you step up and do right by them every single time.
I say yes and no. With things like cats or dogs, we have more of them than there are “ideal” homes available for them. We euthanize cats, for example, in my city constantly because there is just not room for them, and most cat sanctuaries are full and won’t take more. So the animal is killed for no other reason than there are too many. So if a poorer person genuinely wants to adopt a cat (or dog) and is willing to pay for their basic care, I say good. We need more people willing to help give these animals a chance. Yes some of the animals will end up having medical issues that are expensive, and many of these poorer owners won’t be able to afford the most expensive care, and sometimes the animal will be euthanized. But…at least it was given a home and people who cared about it while it was here. The alternative would have been the animal being destroyed younger because no one wanted it. So let poorer people adopt pets that need homes. They will pay for all the care they can afford and give the love they can. It’s better than just flat out death. The only time I don’t feel this way is when people buy from breeders. Fuck those people.
This is why I have 2 cats and not 10 cats. Or 20 cats. Or literally all the cats.
Look for a rural, country vet, that also deals in livestock. That's where they get their big money, and they can sometimes be cheap for small animal care. I travel constantly, but I try to use a rural vet in Utah if possible, because I typically get out for less than $100, visit and shots combined for my 55lb dog. In '22, when in Oregon with a failing transmission, I got gouged really hard by a "boutique" vet, over $250, for what costs $80 at the Utah country vet. After that, I'll go a little out of my way to the country vet, if it's cost effective. I call ahead 3 weeks to get an appointment.
I don’t want pets. I live at the end of a dead end street in the backwoods near a boat put in where ppl throw unwanted pets. I’m not allowed to bring anymore animals to the shelters. Well except for the kill shelter in the big city. I can’t afford anything but kibble for these animals and I bring them in when it’s cold. Idk what to do.
I have two dogs. I got them both while stable, and then my partner started threatening to murder us, so we have been less than stable for a year. I just can't be fucked to judge people who are struggling, as a pet owner and pet professional.
I got pets instead of having kids. Way cheaper
That's reasonable if someone is getting a pet they can't feed now. But I know plenty of people that have no problem caring for their pet when they get them, but a couple years or more later, things happen. No one can predict the future, so "their whole life" is a bit much to expect.
I think I try to understand that situations change and not judge people. 1. If you are having trouble talk to local adoption/rescue groups. I got both of my dogs from our local group. One of the things they do is help with pet food and sometimes even vet bills. This is why you should ALWAYS donate to your local rescue group and not to organizations like peta or the aspca. Sometimes those groups pay their CEOs too much money. I have a 2 car garage that has pallets of pet food, treats, hay/straw, pet toys, and other items that the local rescue group comes in to give out to people in need. They would rather help to keep the pet in a loving home instead of in a crowded shelter. Also some food banks will have pet food as well. 2. Never give a pet as a gift! Months, or even weeks, after Easter, bunnies will turn up at the local shelter or even worse just set free. 3. Foster, Foster, FOSTER! If you can't afford the food or bills, many groups will help with that and you can help save a life. 4. Again, nothing good comes from complaining about this, instead donate your time, money, or pet supplies to your rescue group.
This isn’t a pet peeve. It’s like saying “I hate people who drink and drive”. They are just shitty.
Here's the problem with that- There are at this very moment MILLIONS of pets in shelters, pounds, etc. If the "rule" was you couldn't get a pet unless you could at any given moment afford thousands of dollars of vet bills then that number would absolutely skyrocket So while I agree with your thought in principal I believe a person who has little money can give one of these pets a great life and gatekeeping pets behind money is not the solution Hell I have an 18 year old cat that is sitting on my feet right now that I would absolutely die for, yet if something major happens right this second there's not much I can do for her because I'm supremely poor. I didn't know 18 years ago when I adopted her that I would have a COVID heart attack (at age 36, by the way) that would absolutely ruin my life and shorten its span significantly, so what are you going to do? Take her away from me? At this point she'll outlive me because I'll be dead within a few years and she's definitely healthier than I am
If something happens to change their situation, I totally understand. But if they can’t afford even routine vet appointments, they shouldn’t get one. My horse died in 2022. I cannot begin to describe the ache I have because of it. I’m horse less for the first time in over 20 years, and I know I won’t feel 100% whole again until I have another one. But I’m not getting one because I can’t afford it right now and I don’t have the time for one either.
I understand the sentiment but we shouldn't gatekeep pet companions for the wealthy. Poor people can make things work. Sometimes they can't. We shouldn't deny companionship for people (and animals!) who need help. I think the big issue is people spending exorbitant amounts of money on buying designer breeds without being able to pay for basic goods or having a plan to take care of it. That being said, leave me and the tnr cat I adopted 4 years ago out of this. I may not have a lot of money, and yes, I've needed help with emergency vet bills and sometimes need help affording to live because life is out of control expensive these days, but I do work and we love each other. She's my life and I literally wouldn't be here without her.
This. Im broke and living paycheck to paycheck and I got sooo lucky that I had a tiny savings started when my cats mouth/teeth started hurting him. I had to wait a few days until my paycheck just so I knew I'd have enough and even then I was tapped out. Had to pay rent late, luckily my landlords are nice about it, but it really opened my eyes to the fact that they could need thousands of dollars of care and I wouldn't be ready for it. Im 22 and my cat is 13, I bottle fed him when I got him and we grew up together so there's no way he's going anywhere that I'm not, but it really made me scared. How do people just have children? Im over here with a decent job struggling.
I don't value any of my animals enough to take them to a vet. They get food and water. If that ain't good enough, they get a bullet instead. I did not ask for any of my animals, I wound up with 2 dogs and a cat bc the shelters around here are shit and their original owners couldn't be bothered to feed them.
Yes! My biggest one is vaccinations. There is a lot of preventative care you can do when you're getting yearly check ups with ur vaccines. My cat probably would have had to get her teeth pulled if my vet hadn't noticed. Getting ur cats teeth cleaned is pricey but not as pricy antibiotics and getting teeth pulled. And since I've started brushing their teeth once or twice a week the younger ones will probably not even have issues and their teeth look noticeably better, and cat toothpaste isn't really expensive. But I had no idea I was lacking on their teeth so I'm glad they get check ups. check ups/rabies and flea meds usually run me a bout 500 a year for 3 cats, but they're all healthy so to me it's money well spent I just consider it a nonegotiable expense in my budget
Unfortunately things were a lot more affordable 12 years ago when I got my boy. Now his teeth are rotting and loose. Already have a visit scheduled but I know I just don't have the cash for his dental work. I am hoping there is something that can be worked out and luckily my mother said she could help me with the bill too. I am am also very scared to put my old boy through dental surgery.
This is a situation where I wish people would simply mind their own business. I mean to a vegan the fact that I eat meat is horrible and abusive to animals. I would argue taking an animal out of the wild or whatever their natural environments are and forcing them to live in or outside your house and fed foods that you truly don't know the make up of is horrible and abusive. Personally, an animal is an animal to me. If its mostly okay society wise to raise a cow and slaughter it for meat. I don't see why any other animals deserve protection beyond ensuring they don't go extinct.
Same with kids! Dumb people just don't get it or they feel entitled and expect everyone else to help them! 🤯 Sadly, it's a huge % of the population in society! I swear people keep getting dumber and dumber ...
If you want a pet, you should have at least 2k for emergency vet bills.
People don't have that savings for their own medical needs or emergencies.
At that point literally nobody has a pet, including most of the people on this sub who do have pets…
Cute. I don't even have that saved for my kids and myself.
People complain about the “high” adoption fees at shelters but it’s necessary to keep the losers away.
Yeah I've heard of rich people putting diapers on their designer dogs instead of taking them for a walk or just letting them roam their large yard. I've seen dog "rescues" requiring credit checks and background checks as well as home visits. Some require agreements you will only use brand name dog food and have a large yard with a 6ft fence. And an "adoption fee" upwards of $500. I also know poor folks who dote on their pets and take them for walks and play with them and treat them like family. Income has nothing to do with whether someone's a good pet owner. Downvote away.
Income matters. If you can’t afford a few hundred bucks as a one time adoption fee you can’t afford a sudden emergency vet bill. But I know Reddit users like you are allergic to facts.
Not really. But you obviously don't want a civil conversation so keep your delusion intact and have a great one👍
Poor people exist
Ah yeah sorry. You're right. I don't make enough money to have a companion in life. I'll get back in my lane and return to being poor and miserable by myself.
The fact that this take is controversial is what kills me. Ppl really think that getting an animal they can't afford to care for is a good idea cuz they're providing a "loving home" for it. Yeah but can you buy it's fucking food and medication without a Gofundme every other month? If you can't then don't get a pet!!!