Sick pet and PDSA

Edinburghlass_2

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

I wonder if you've mixed up the OP with another post?

I see nothing derogatory about the PDSA.

I don't see a request for financial support - just a general "what can I do" request for help.

If we approach all new cases of uninsured pets on the basis that there's a history on the board of lack of insurance, then the Board will have no role to play in helping those who need some guidance. We could just have a standard response of "Sod off you irresponsible pet-owner, you should have got insurance"

If the Board is to have a helpful function, then we need to approach new posts with an open mind, initially - just IMHO. Those posting here clearly care for the welfare of their pets - if they didn't care, they wouldn't post, surely?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but "we are where we are" and finding solutions should be the only objective ...?

I do think the OP has a valid point about the PDSA though. I wasn't aware that they operated "catchment" areas - I thought the only eligibility criteria was lack of affordability, tested by the reciept of certain benefits. I guess that if the OP's parents were able and willing to travel to another catchment area that they still wouldn't qualify as they would then be "out of area" ... which is difficult to understand, as if the owners travel at their own expense, then there's no additional cost to the PDSA. I wonder if those who donate realise that this is how they work?

I too must have missed a post by the OP as after reading it several times I cannot see where, as inferred by post 3, that the user was either "angry" or "ranting about a charity"

Neither do I think it particularly helpful to say what response the OP may have got on a pet forum as she posed the question here where fortunately she has been given some helpful advice from those users who have judged her post on its merit and not on any past history of different threads.

And yes its a subject close to my heart at the moment as I've had to watch my cat die in front of my eyes for the past week and witness the distress of my daughter but I hope being a pet owner doesn't make me so opinionated that I don't have some compassion for the OP and in particular for her parents.

UKTigerlily

You could try http://www.tailwaggersclubtrust.com/

mogadon

Edinburghlass wrote: »

Neither do I think it particularly helpful to say what response the OP may have got on a pet forum as she posed the question here where fortunately she has been given some helpful advice from those users who have judged her post on its merit and not on any past history of different threads.

Then you missed the point of it. There ARE small charities around the country that may be able to help the OP, usually there is some specific connection, either the breed of the dog or the owner's location. This is a pretty specialised area. It's unlikely they will be able to get information on them here. Dogpages is the place to post and ask, if there is a charity like that that can help the OP, someone there will know of it.

If I were just trying to be mean I could have just told the OP to copy their post over to Dogpages. Instead I gave fair warning that if they did so, they would get torn apart.

What would you have preferred, that I didn't bother telling them where to look for further help (even though it's a long shot, at least it's an option), or given them the link and not warned them what they were going to walk into?

The OP got what little advice is available, i.e. that they are unlikely to find much help. With a few places to try just in case. There's little more anyone here can do.

I don't see any merit in the original post or this situation, and I am not going to pretend that I think it is in anyway acceptable to leave an animal without medical treatment because the owner has failed to make any provision whatsoever for it. If you are happy to condone that behaviour, that's your prerogative, but I think it's pretty clear that many here don't.

MrsTinks

Ah Mogadon you have phrased it so much better than I

ali-t

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

If we approach all new cases of uninsured pets on the basis that there's a history on the board of lack of insurance, then the Board will have no role to play in helping those who need some guidance. We could just have a standard response of "Sod off you irresponsible pet-owner, you should have got insurance"

If the Board is to have a helpful function, then we need to approach new posts with an open mind, initially - just IMHO. Those posting here clearly care for the welfare of their pets - if they didn't care, they wouldn't post, surely?

Given that the board is about moneysaving, insurance is definitely an invest to save approach. I agree with one of the other posters that insurance or vet costs need to be factored in when buying a pet. they are as important as food and shelter and to not provide for such eventualities is irresponsible.

there are many people who care about lots of things in their lives but are regularly deemed irresponsible on this site. caring about something doesn't mean you have the best interests of that thing at heart.

lowis

instead of people banging on about what the OP's elderly parents should have done, can't we show some compassion? jesus christ...if the OP didn't feel !!!!!! already then they sure do now.

yes...always get pet insurance...it is my mantra. but unhelpful in this instance.

as for stating that people shouldn't be allowed to keep pets if they can't afford them..well i agree...but i also think people shouldn't have kids if they can't afford to support them without state handouts. but that doesn't really help does it? because people will breed willy-nilly whether they can afford it or not, and people will still have pets whether they can afford it or not! also, older people (and even some younger people) don't even think or realise how important pet insurance is...there is a degree of education lacking in this area. my almost-80 year old parents wouldn;t even think about pet insurance, it is not something they are familiar with, or was ever available to them when they owned pets years ago.

OP - cancer can be a huge expense to diagnose and treat. one cat cost my insurance company close to £12,000, another cat is currently at £2,500 (with more to claim, i am sure) - talk to the vet and ask for honest opinion about treatment options, possible remission/cure expectancies etc - it might not be worth your while selling your posessions. good luck though x

Kay_Peel

How much does it cost to have an old, very sick dog put to sleep?

Hard as it may sound, this is probably the most reasonable course of action for the elderly couple. They will be unable to afford the costs of tests, examinations and medication and meanwhile the poor old dog will have a poor quality existence, with only one outcome: death.

I don't think any charity would be able to fund the treatment - animal charities have enough on their plate with abandoned, ill-treated, neglected dogs and cases where the owner dies or goes into a home/prison. They have to prioritise owner-less animals.

Good luck with finding a solution, but don't let the elderly couple beat themselves up. They gave the dog a home and loved it. They sought a vet's advice when it became ill. They will have one last heartbreaking decision to make and I hope they make the right one for their sakes and the poor old dog's.

foreign_correspondent

UKTigerlily wrote: »

You could try http://www.tailwaggersclubtrust.com/

do try them... I seem to remember tigerlily posting this before for someone who was struggling with vats bills, and I think they eventually got some help...

OP, if the yorkie is quite poorly and/or elderly, it may be kindest to him just to accept the end is near and to see if he can be helped to remain pain free and happy until then, and enjoying life, rather than looking at more invasive treatments.

It must be very hard for your mum and dad right now.

hethmar

I wonder if Cinammon Trust could help.

Come to that, what about Help the Aged or Age Concern?

lemma1968

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to those of you who have supported me and also made various suggestions as a way forward.

We are currently in discussions with the PDSA who are also putting forward some options regarding vets that they have specific agreements with. Sadly there is no such vet in our area but we will approach a local vet and see what he says and then if we have no joy we shall go back to the PDSA for further advice. I may also contact other agencies on their behalf. My parents only want to do what is right by their little friend. He is my father's constant companion and i know how distressed he is by this whole situation.

Can i just say a few words to those who have sought to criticise them for being "irresponsible pet owners" and going on about insurance?

In an ideal world you are right. But we don't live in an ideal world. I was upset my thread was hijacked by those wishing to hammer home the insurance point. Feel free to start your own thread about that issue. They don't have insurance, simple as that. Insurance in the context of my query was o/t.

If you do not agree with what they have done you could have kept it to yourself. I was asking for advice and nothing more. I neither needed nor appreciated the lecture that you wanted to give. This situation is hard enough as it is without the error of their ways being stuffed down their throats. They are elderly and disabled and have lost their pensions.

I would ask that those of you who have felt the need to take that stance and advertise it in my thread to think twice before doing it to someone else. Although you may see it as constructive to send a message out forewarning others, it is also destructive to me and my family. This little dog is a family member and is loved as such.

I would like this all to end now and us all move on without any further ado. I hope that you can respect my wishes.