Questions (maybe long)

[a-bull]

it could ALSO be the sympathy factor. The "oh look at this poor dog, won't you help?" donations pour in & sometimes more than what is needed to cover the surgery. Sure, not always but it happens.

good point . . .

[msvette2u]

Well, and right or wrong, most people don't adopt or purchase an animal with the thought in mind, "This dog could run me thousands in a year or two!" I don't think lacking funds to pay for an unexpected surgery is a character defect that would preclude you from being a pet owner.
Just like with people, we are often ill-prepared for catastrophic disasters with our health.
With Copper - I can honestly say we don't have the money to pay for a surgery of the magnitude of a back surgery. My aunt does and did, with one of her doxies (I never thought it would happen to Copper ).
But she and her husband don't have kids at home and are quite a bit better off with her retirement income than are we.
I'd try to raise some funds with help from my friends (and my cafepress store LOL) of course. Better - and it's what we're doing - we're doing what it will take to keep him from ever needing the surgery.

[cheekymunkee]

Wow. That is so sad. You would think that if they truelly wanted to help the animal then they would let it stay with it's family.

And apparently that wasn't an option presented to the family who did opt for euthanasia of their pet (which I doubt was an easy or painless decision). They are being castigated now for treating their animal as a "throw away".

Wow what a horrible situation. There is a part of me that feels sorry for the family too.

And what would they ahve said to these people if they had given the dog up?? it's STILL a "throw away " situation. Even more so because now it becomes someone else's problem.

[msvette2u]

Yeah "Well they must not have loved it much" or, in the fundraising "This dog was abandoned at the vet by their owner..." can't you see it now? Not only that, apparently this family has five kids.

[cheekymunkee]

Sometimes shelters do the weirdest things. Like with the burned pit bull Mercy. Donations POURED in from all over the country & the poor dog died anyway. She should have NEVER been made to endure that, she should have been euthed right off the bat. BUT, a story like hers tugs at heart strings & pocket books. Now, I am NOT downing Operation Kindness, they do many good things but I don't think this was one of them.

[msvette2u]

I agree totally. I've seen other pleas for help with dogs that have grevious problems, one had bad legs and despite numerous PAINFUL surgeries they kept him alive and were asking for thousands for this dog. I wrote and said Gosh this dog is STILL in pain, and hundreds of other dogs could have been saved with those thousands of dollars, and you'd have thought I suggested throwing it into a river or something... I really can't help but think of these animals as a "cash cow" for these rescues...

[msvette2u]

I guess I'm asking the wrong questions. The list owner put out this note:

>I don't want to say stop talking about this, but lets not go over
>and over it please. It is upsetting to some.


Thanks
L

The only explanation I've gotten is:

We dont' really know if if was just the financial part (because with
conventional therapy is not that expensive but very time consuming)
or if they owners (having 5 children) just could not or would not put
in the time and care it takes for a downed IVVD dog.