Rising prices mean more pets are being put to sleep. As prices rise everywhere some people are finding it impossible to pay their vet´s bills and may choose to have their pet put-to-sleep as a consequence. In the most recent Petplan Pet Census, an annual study of pet ownership in the UK, 97% of vets reported that a lack of funds had led to owners choosing euthanasia over treatment. As many households start to feel the financial pinch, there is greater concern than ever that pets with treatable conditions are at risk. Whilst some cases are the result of one-off ´emergency´ treatment, manageable long-term conditions are often at the root of much unnecessary euthanasia because owners simply cannot afford the cost of ongoing treatment. Reported increases in pet obesity and diabetes, arthritis and behavioural problems have all been cited in the Pet Census as common causes of increased and ongoing vet bills. Vet Brian Faulkner said: "I think it is a common misconception that the predicament forcing pet owners to euthanase their pet is the out-of-the-blue, one-off vet fees for emergencies. But in fact we are noticing that owners whose pets have on-going illnesses such as diabetes and even behavioural problems that are very manageable are being faced with the dreadful decision to have to euthanase than face the ongoing financial burden. It´s even more devastating when the owners have actually taken out an insurance policy but the nature of the policy only covers treatment of any one condition for up to one year. I always advise people to make sure their policies do not cap the time period over which any one condition is covered to avoid this very problem as more comprehensive insurers are then unable to offer cover on a pre-existing condition." Simon Wheeler, Head of Marketing at Petplan, believes the report makes depressing reading. "We receive over 8,700 claims per week and of the top ten claims, six could be recurrent manageable conditions, such as diabetes or arthritis - the very animals that are currently most at risk of being euthanased." The vet industry itself, suspicious that companion animals with manageable long-term conditions, such as diabetes, are being euthanased due to owners underestimating the cost of treatment, has launched a study through the Royal Veterinary College to understand the situation better.  Comments Write a comment to this story 12 Sep 2008 23:13  Description I agree K9. Animals come first... Wouldnt it be nice if animals with ongoing problems like diabetes could get free prescriptions like humans....??!! 08 Sep 2008 20:02  NHS for pets????? In our dreams,dogs are still to gain rights were cruelty is concerned so thats a long way off as nice as it seems. As for the affordability of pets,well i feel we must all save for bad times like these as the ED says they are our responsibility. I´d gladly go without a meal to feed my dogs or without "luxuries" i want like etc for health care but hopefully times will never get that bad for me or any of us. 07 Sep 2008 17:39 Member Removed vets have to study many a different anatomies and what not of so many different animals and species in general as the human doc has only the human to study and specialize in one field maybe one day vets too will be able to choose one kind of animal they wish to specialize on or even an specific area about that particular animal vets rocks !!! they are not only clever but are the original animal lovers ... a big thank you to all the vets for being there for our pets ..... 07 Sep 2008 15:50 Member Removed some might have watched on tv the odd lord the nobility who are pretty close to being peniless and cannot afford even to heat the room they sit in in their huge houses and their struggle but still had 2/3 dogs they will do as they please and so will the have nots which have nothing to loose ... its the ones in between that represent a problem ..... pets will always be part of people´s lifes whatever their circusntances..... 07 Sep 2008 14:19 Member Removed I agree I would never be able to give consent let alone put an animal to sleep myself feels like murder to me it goes to highlight the plot of so many that have not spoken yet and all those who are too proud to let others know as well of their situation including the vet and that might happen mainly with the elderly I have no doubt that a NHS for pets is the right solution all around these creatures are our responsibility they did not ask to be born I have nothing but an enornous amount of respect for the veterinarian profession and some say that to qualify as a vet you need more brains than a human doc but it should not be like winning the lottery and the prices of treatment and vistis ect should be regulated TO HAVE A PET IS NOT A PRIVILIGE BUT A RIGHT!!!!!! if people cannot afford then don´t have pets sure people will always have pets come what may ......that is the reality of things ..and should be dealt with... I know someone whose mother worked as a shop assistant at M & S all he life her daughter is obessed with chiuhahas she dreams of having one and parading down the road with her pal showing her off to everyone ect her daughter has a few issues and still lives with her mum what mother would not like to see her children happy? ohhhhhhhhh but she cannot afford one.... some set of cirscuntances eh? she paid her taxes all her life she retires and her daughter who still lives with her has no pets ...... and yet millions of pounds go to the Mugabes of this world... poured down the drain.... surely something is not right ...... what mothers and fathers feel by having to say no to whats most precious in their lifes? BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT? we can afford to make people happy and treat our fellow creatures with the same love and dignity and care we give the population in general... so WHY NOT MAKE THE NHS FOR PETS A REALITY it all really depends on each and everyone of us to let the government know its needed and long overdue.... 06 Sep 2008 21:30  MY sister´s cat has thyroid and ongoing treatment and 6 monthly blood tests. We claim but the premiums increase. We love Toby to bits and putting him to sleep would never be an option. He is 11 now. My Tabitha was ill when she came to me as because she wasnt good enough to be a show cat, the breeder left her to it. The vet bill came to £300 and most I couldnt claim. I´d had Tabitha only a few weeks and my plan was to get her better however much it cost - I cut down on my own food etc to have the money to make her well. That was fine with me. Our vet has a monthly plan should owners struggle. I cannot understand how someone would put their pet to sleep if they were true animals lovers. 05 Sep 2008 13:05 Member Removed its a cruel world because people allow it to be as such does not have to be the more civilize we become the less cruel we become I think I met this elderly lady 94 she is she loves her daughter and so on but when push come to shove charlie is the one she talks aabout more often her cat how sweet he was how he liked to be brushed ect she has a photo of charlie and her dead husband and say prayers for both everyday she could afford charlie but many others have charlies too they try and use home made medicine they are broken hearted for not being able to look after their charlie why should this be allowed? WHY SHOULD HAVING A PET BE A PRIVILIGE AND NOT A RIGHT? everything in life is a choice people choose to have children and yet mots really cannot afford to people choose everything even to stay alive or die so whats the different in regards to our fellow creatures who are like it or not OUR RESPONSIBILITY insurance is not good to most on low income as only having to pay that first £ 50/70/100 makes it already a no go area for most its the survival of the fitest in the animals world and we are no diferent ? maybe so but we still can choose and follow whats best for all not only a minority! NHS FOR PETS will help maybe many to keep their pets and not give them up too!! 05 Sep 2008 08:28  lm not knocking pet insurance, but lets remember that they are a business out to make money, there polices can be very complicated, and like ALL insurers will try to get out of paying if possible. Some wont insure dogs over a certain age, if you change over some wont take on your dog that has an ongoing illness, most times one has to pay UPFRONT, and it can take weeks/months for the money to come through, some people at present don´t have the ready cash to pay upfront. Assuming the average cost of insurance is £20 per month, if one has more than One dog it works out very expensive, people must shop around ask lots of questions before taking out a policy.(wonder if it would be feasible for them to do a BLOCK policy ??) A friend uses a practice which lets you pay in so much each month to them, if you overspend during the year, they up the payments if it is less they drop your payment if you wish, i think in this present climate Vets really need to try and help people out, some people rely on there pets for whatever reason, and once again its the vulnerable that suffer. 05 Sep 2008 07:41 Description I totally agree with your idea Paula but when push comes to shove the bottom line will always be ´if you cant afford a pet, dont have one´. That´s not my idea, it´s what the ´powers that be´ will always say...... It´s the same with everything; if you cant afford something, you dont have it.... However, on the other side of the coin, pets have been proven to be beneficial to the lonely/elderly/isolated BUT only those that can afford to keep them.... It´s a cruel world and there are no easy answers.. I have seen both sides and, at the end of the day, it´s the animals that are the losers when people have them & cant afford to keep them.. People who struggle to pay bills are often under so much pressure that the pet becomes another expensive ´burden´ to them. One solution for people who cant afford an animal of their own may be to volunteer at a rescue centre?? There are always opportunities for people to do dog walking etc and the person gets the ´hands on´ with an animal without the expense. It also gives them a ´focus´ and a reason to get up in the morning...... I didnt mean the car example to suggest that animals are merely ´objects´ because they most definitely are not. They all have their own little ways & personalities and no two are ever the same. Speaking as one who has very recently lost 6 guinea pigs all at once, I can vouch for the fact that this is the case. I knew every ones ´voice´, every ones quirky little ways and my heart is in overdrive with missing them all... 04 Sep 2008 21:47 Member Removed what about the elderly isolated/lonely/struggling to pay their bills? a pet may mean everything to them what about the pressure rescues are under? why should organizations which were set to be rescues become all things to all people ? hospitals pet police rescues theraphists and what not I agree with the car analogy and all that but our fellow creatures are more than objects they have souls/feelings the full works .... great stuff that duty of care thingie getting closer ot the NHS for PETS :) happier owners happy pets creation of jobs it would only be of benefit to all all around.. 04 Sep 2008 21:30 Description Paula said .....for this sort of attitude there should too be legislation to cover this side of things... There already IS legislation in place Paula. Under the Animal Welfare Act which came into force in April 2007, owners now have a Duty of Care towards their pets based on the ´five freedoms´. As for a pet NHS, it´s a great idea but I´m afraid I agree with the Ed. Having a pet is a persons personal choice so it is up to them to look after it, feed it & seek veterinary advice when it is ill. Having a car is personal choice & no-one expects other people to foot the bill when it breaks down... If vets were more open to payment plans as Cat suggested, that would be one solution. It might be a good idea to pay some into your client account regularly BEFORE your pet needs treatment then you already have some money put aside in case it´s needed. Irresponsible ownership will happen with or without the legislation that´s in place already. 04 Sep 2008 20:59 Member Removed true for most of it but I still belive that unless people want changes they do not happen there should be a a NHS for pets as if my cousin needs treatment he can easily get it so why not the pets which are to me as dear as my cousin even more so as it goes and I belive I am not alone in feeling like my pets are as important members of my family as any other as for being too easy for people to get hold of animals yes that is true and maybe some feel that a NHS for pets would only increase the number of abandon pets as their novelty wear out ect for this sort of attitude there should too be legislation to cover this side of things and so make people take responsibility for their pets one thing does not justify another one problem at a time should be dealt with it does feel like it could increase the number of iresponsible owership but then again it might work just in the opposite direction won´t know till the NHS for pets is up and runing it will happen ... for sure.. 04 Sep 2008 20:04  I think it is terribly sad that people are having to face a decision about whether to pay for their pets treatment or put them to sleep. I am lucky in that this is not a situation I have had to deal with but I, and most vets, would be willing to help people who were struggling with bills. If a person is feeling under pressure my first piece of advice would be to go to the vet and discuss the matter openly and honestly. They could help you set up a payment plan to spread to cost, or decide on a course of action that wasn´t so costly. Also, there are now many vets providing a low cost service, a sort of ´no frills´ vets. There are also the charities, the RSPCA have hospitals providing treatment in several major cities and the PDSA are countrywide ( although you do have to qualify in order to be treated by them). Animals rescued from the CPL and Dog´s Trust can often have their treatment covered by these charities, so it is worth asking. Debates like this show how important pet insurance is, it can literally mean the difference between life and death for a pet. There are two very important things to have in an insurance policy; the first is life long cover, as we have seen many of these situations arise from chronic ( on-going) illnesses which can be treated, but not cured. The second is that each condition is covered for a good amount of money, at least £5000 for the average sized dog. If you do not want to take out insurance, you should have another method to ensure vets bills can be met, such as a savings account for your pets. Pets can be expensive and that is a responsibility you take on when you have an animal. None of use expect the worse to happen and a pet to fall ill, but it can and it does, and having a plan to cope with that can take away a lot of heartache. 04 Sep 2008 18:49  There are a few places people can go for help, like the Blue Cross, but sadly an NHS for pets is never going to happen. They will say its people´s choice to keep a pet and its food, and its equipment and its health all have to be the responsibility of the owner. I know this is really tough on many people who are struggling financially and their pets too - but with many dentists opting out of the National Health and making people go privately is there any realistic chance of an NHS for pets? Also there has been a debate on PetStreet (eg mentioned by Caroline Yates of the Mayhew Home) that it is too easy to get hold of pets. If owners did not have to worry about their pets health costs I wonder if there would be even more people tempted to have pets, and with even more pets would be in circulation, more would be dumped? 04 Sep 2008 18:18 Member Removed this why I started a NHS for pets petition on the 10 Downing street website which they asked to be resubmited and will probaly reject it there is no reason why there should not be NHS pet hospitals avaiable even charities which do run pet hospitals charge for treatment as well leaving a lot of people with very litlle choice say the RSPCA will charge £10 for the consutation and money for the medication ect for someone on a pension or on income suport that is a amount of money thay would make people think twice about taking their pets even to those charity pet hospitals but then again those charities do not either get any help from the government so much money goes down the drain being given away to corrupted world leaders where the people never see any benefit of the money donated at all so why not give our fellow creatures the right of care as humans have? they are as part of people´s family as any other member of the family NHS for pets go ask Gordon to create one!!! now its the time for it!!! 04 Sep 2008 14:54  I covered this same kind of subject back on the 10th August,on the Pet Politics & Ethics Forum..entitled "High Vet Bills Are Claiming Un-necessary Lives !!".......it received 13 comments from very concerned people,my thoughts for one are on this thread!!....and the comments on the whole make for some very interesting reading and debate. |
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