Can you afford a pet?

J52- our Pepper was a black collie cross with a white bib and 3 white socks- found by our girls very hungry and limping badly- beginning of September- so I guess one of those poor dogs kicked out when owners wanted to go on hols. We took him to the vet to be checked out, nothing serious- and put ads in the local shop, local Post Office, local hairdressers and of course the vet. Nothing at all!

When we took him to the vet for his next check-up a week later we told him we were going to take him to the RSPCA afterwards as we could not keep him, as we both worked. He said, just hold him whilst I put him to sleep then. We were shocked- why we asked. Vet said he had had the most awful day of his career, putting all the dogs down at the Scudamore Road RSPCA, and they had distemper and that they had not been able to sort out the situation. They had taken the decision to put all the dogs to sleep so they could disinfect the premises properly and start again. He cried. We cried- and he told us 'this dog loves you, and you obviously love this dog- just get organised and make it work. He knelt by the girls, then about 7 and 9 and asked them 'will you take him for a walk before school and after school every day' 'yes of course Mik' they replied. NO NO he told them again, I don't mean next week, or the week after- I mean forever, as long as you live at home, and without arguing about it- your mum and dad have enough to do... I REALLY mean forever! Yes we will we promise, they of course replied. He got up and looked at us and said, any trouble from those 2 about walking the dog, and you just send them to me, ok. And they were true to their word, until they went to Uni.

I took him for massive walks through the Leics countryside, checking and recording all the local badger setts- and became know thus as 'the badger lady'. Priceless, absolutely priceless.

what a lovely story granjura apart from the sad day at the RSPCA of course. We only have our dog and cat vaccinated because of occasional cattery and kennel stays, if not for that we wouldn't do it, just have any problems dealt with, and of course worm and de-flea on a regular basis. These darned pet insurance policies never seem to pay out anyway, both our dog and our cat may have possible joint/arthritis problems in the future due to their repaired injuries, and the insurance wont pay out on existing conditions. Far better as someone said, to take a chance, then stick it on a credit card if you have an emergency. Most vets, like my lovely practice, will take stage payments if you cant pay it in one go. There is not a no claims bonus or discount with these policies, and you can end up, as a neighbour of my Mother, with a monthly fee of £200 for 2 dogs and two cats.......that would pay for a lot of emergency treatment.

Our Rhodesian Ridgeback wasn't insured and when she was seven, the vet said she could feel a small lump in a mammary gland. I was quoted hundreds of pounds for surgery and treatment but decided to 'wait and see'. I then started saving up just in case!!

The vet didn't refer to it again and Nahla lived to 12 yrs old and only had to be put to sleep when arthritis got the better of her.

I would have gone ahead with the surgery if she'd been insured and it wouldn't have been necessary.

Granjura, your story shows the real commitment that is involved with pet owning. It is a pity that it seems to have become an ' industry'.

Although we no longer have pets, family members do. One has relocated to Spain and had a van especially converted so that her 4 dogs would travel in air conditioned comfort! X

Expat Forums in France, Spain and elsewhere are full to the brim with people looking to re-home pets of every kind. There have been many instances too of people just leaving, and leaving behind all their pets, horses, donkeys, ducks, pigs and multiple cats and dogs. Gatsby was the youngest ever of our pets to die- all the others made it to 18+, so it is very much a long-term commitment. I so wish people would not ignore this when they commit to adopting or buying pets (:

If we do get another dog or cats on day, I shall make sure that we have adoptive homes in place and confirmed in our will with the finance to go with them- in case we peg it before they do. Anyone over the age of 60ish should make plans for their pets, in case.

Yes you are right about the abandoned animals, particularly cats. I suppose when times get hard, pets might be the first things to go.

On holidays to Italy we have seen cat 'hostels' where people have taken in abandoned cats and look after them. Not all of them were plain Moggies.

We were walking along the road in Spain, in a small town and a gentleman was opening tins and putting cat food into trays and then putting them through a wire fence round an abandoned building site.

We watched and gradually cats appeared from the building that they were living in. He obviously did this regularly. It was sad and lovely, at the same time. X

Immunisation is my biggest bugbear; I only take my cat for his booster every year because he has to go to the cattery when we go on holiday, and they demand it. There is absolutely no justification for annual boosters and many vets actually believe we are causing all sorts of problems by over-immunising pets. Again I'm sure this is driven by greed by the manufacturers.

My cat is 12, so he's had a full course as a kitten, then 11 boosters. Humans with a far longer lifespan don't have that many for the same diseases. When my last cat became old and frail, the vet recommended no more boosters. When I needed to leave him in the cattery the same vet wrote a letter confirming his immunity, without a blood test of any kind. The cattery owner remarked that that proved what nonsense annual boosters are.

I agree, nightowl Millie is seven and when her booster was due, two months ago, she had to have some teeth removed and a course of anti-biotics. The vet said she couldn't have her booster at the same time so postponed it for two months!! She has been in kennels during that time and when I explained why her record was not up to date they didn't bat an eyelid.

Surely there must come a time when a dog has enough immunity?

We have just taken on a new puppy!! Our old spaniel died a year ago and we swore that we'd never have another, but the house seemed SO cold and empty so a new baby has joined us and she is a poppet!! However, we are aware that at 72 and 75, time is not on our side so before our baby came to us we made absolutely sure that our daughter was willing to give her a home if it becomes necessary. She is, her house is full of animals including ducks, so Cassie's future has been secured as much as ever it can be with our son adding extra back up if necessary.We have taken out insurance for her health, again, just in case!

What we would like to do, when the time comes to have another dog (and that will be a rescue again, I just could not buy a dog personally, knowing so many need good homes)- is to find another person or couple with the same 'philosophy' about how to keep dogs (eg a dog must know he is a dog and not a human, no feeding from the table or sleeping in our bed, etc)- and to adopt 2 dogs that get on and undertake to look after each other's dog when going away, and in case of one of us not being able to keep the dog.

In the meantime- when Slinky does leave us- and may he live as long as he is happy as a little old blind diabetic elderly pooch- we plan to go on a 3 months tour or Australia, Tasmania and NZ, visiting places we've always wanted to go and lots of our friends and relatives. But only when...

Legislation now says vets cannot dispense flea stuff without seeing the animal, so a consultation fee as well for a perfectly healthy cat or dog. The flea product covers umpteen parasites our pets don't need and is supposed to be used every 4 weeks.
Pet insurance is a must unless you're very well off. My little dog spent 24 hours at the vet hospital last year and died. The fee was £6000, almost all covered by her insurance. She was only three and her illness came out of the blue.

Yes, vets bill's can be astronomical! Our old girl cost us a fortune during the last 18 months of her life, not that we resented a penny of it, but this time we are definitely getting some cover for our new little girl as you never know what's round the corner.

Our elderly rescue cat has had some sort of eye problem for the last year and it has cost us a fortune. A series of conservative treatments took us up to the year after which the insurance company will not pay out anymore for the condition. Now the vet thinks it is the eyelid turning in but wants her to go to a specialist 100 miles away and have a scan, cost approximately £800 with the likely outcome an operation by a veterinary ophthalmologist. It is unbelievable where this has all gone and vets and the insurance industry are just working hand in hand, it's costing us all such a lot of money.

Our rescue dog died last year after a stroke. She had been having back trouble and the story was pretty much like the cat with a visit to a fancy vet in Swindon who charged £1000 for x Rays and scans.

It's even difficult these days to get them to put down your animal - if you won't go with these expensive treatments you are seen as somehow uncaring. I've had animals all my life but when our present cat goes that will sadly be it.

My only pet, Wiggy the Cockatiel, costs very little to keep. Her supplies of seed and millet work out at about £2 per month! However, when she was ill and needed an antibiotic injection it cost £38. But she is worth it as she is truly lovely company. She is sitting on the arm of my chair as I type this.

With 2 elderly dogs(15) and a horse I dread any vet's bill. Luckily my dogs have been healthy and rarely need the vet but my last vet bill for my horse was over £2000.
I dare not work out the cost of my animals but I'm sure it's worth it.....the thought of not having them horrifies me...what would I do with all my time?
At 64 with a 12 year old horse I know the time will come when I can no longer cope and as horses can live to 40 I will need to make provision for him. Along with selling the house that's too big I procrastinate...a case of head in the sand..

We have never lived without an animal of some sort, but if we are lucky enough to outlive our dog we have said that he is the last. Not sure how we would survive without an animal but survive we must as couldn't bear to leave an orphan!