Is it just me?

Re: Is it just me?

StephSVN — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:50:14 GMT

Another attitude that really winds me up is 'he's just a stray so I don't want to spend anything on him' - when the cats been living in their house for years! Fair enough not paying for all the local strays, but if a cat has been living in your house full time, and you feed it every day, for 6 years, then that is YOUR CAT, not a stray!!

This refers to a little cat we had in a while ago for a dental, so they'd obviously agreed to pay for that, but complained about having to pay for painkillers, and antibiotics, because he was 'just a stray'. I also mentioned T-D to help reduce chance of needing more dentals, and 'don't want to spend any more on him'. When I discharged him and was explaining about giving the medication they just looked at me blankly, and said 'no chance of that, unless it can go in food, he's a stray love'. So I explained that they could go in food if really couldn't give it direct but not ideal in case they leave food etc.

I thought, how nice that they'll pay for a dental for a stray, but then when I looked at the record they'd had the cat 6 years! If they hadn't fed him he prob would have moved on to a different home that wouldn't have complained about every penny!

Re: Is it just me?

Catherine O — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:46:10 GMT

I gotta admit, I've worked closely with alot of shelters and pounds, and I think that a loving but poor owner is better than no owner I know that ideally every pet owner would have insurance and pet-savings yaddah yaddah, but because I've seen sooooo many animals be destroyed for want of an owner - ANY owner, I can never bring myself to loathe owners just because they can't afford top quality care! I'm not really sure to what extent the fabled recession is affecting england, but here job losses are massive - and some of these jobs were what could be considered stable etc etc (even DVO's are closing here!) and as a result we've seen an increase in treatable pets being pts - in my experience though, the owners haven't made these decissions easily. I could never understand the "if-i-can't-have-it-no1-can" mentality though, that's just scary

Re: Is it just me?

Sally Howe — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:58:13 GMT

We had a serengeti cat bought in with a fractured leg.

The owner was pregnant so couldn't possibly afford to pay for the cats treatment. But could afford a child!!!

Anyway the vet and I said we couldn't possibly PTS a normally healthy cat. I discussed it with the vet and owner. The owner signed the cat over to me. Despite a few complications post operation he is just starting to be allowed out. He is a lovely affectionate cat and loves to sleep with us snuggled in.

Re: Is it just me?

Kerry Spain — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:57:52 GMT

I think its at the discretion of the practice to be honest but we always refuse to PTS if the animal is healthy and try to re-home and give advice accordingly.

For example we had a lady call in a few weeks ago wanting her cat PTS and she was sobbing her heart out. After further discussion we found out that the cat had been house soiling for the past 6 years!!!

She couldn't cope with it any more and thought the only other option was to PTS as she didn't want it to go to another home... needless to say we where not going to PTS and got rarther firm with her and advised her to re-home. The cat was re-homed and is doing well on feliway and behaviour modification therapy with a new and more understanding (less thick) owner

Re: Is it just me?

lissy27 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:57:04 GMT

Eek! Reading through some of these stories is the only thing that im abit nervous about when it comes to me wanting to train to be a VN i know it'll be hard to me to keep my mouth shut when people bring crueltly cases in or animals then will be fine with treatment but the owner cant/wont pay and have it PTS. One of mine dogs recently broke her leg and its cost me £££ to fix it, also have a diabetic cat that is not yet stabilised and is costing me £££ but i dont mind as its my duty to them and i wouldnt do any less than my best for them..

sadley, i know other pet owners may not make the same choices with their pets and as a VN i guess you ve just got to except that.

I wondered if theres any set policy on putting down healthy animals( or if they can be treated for a minor complaint but the owner wont pay )....do some vets refuse to PTS a healthy animal or is it at the discretion of each practice? or what if you had a stray in that had been hit by a car or something? Could you offer to pay for it? Im worried id be offering to pay for all the waifs and strays and take them home and have no wages!lol

Re: Is it just me?

Kerry Spain — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:19:14 GMT

I persuaded her to re-home and told her that PTS wasn't an option, we have a notice on the board at work for the poor kitty, fingers crossed she will get a good home far far away form the nutter

Re: Is it just me?

loopylou711 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:35:34 GMT

aww do u think she will rehome or is she really wanting to pts God some ppl!!

Re: Is it just me?

Kerry Spain — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:48:28 GMT

had a phone call from a pain in the *** client today, they are a serial animal hoarder, she went on to tell me that one of the cats has become very agressive to the other animals in the house and refuses to come into the house now. She then said that the cat looks at her with hate in its eyes... LOL can't help laughing at that part as thats exactly how we look at her haha. And she wanted it PTS!!!!

I refused and suggested that she should re-home it as its probably stressed to buggery in the multi-pet household oh yes and by the way she's not a full bob

Re: Is it just me?

loopylou711 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:15:09 GMT

its funny u say that looby bout whether or not u can afford a pet. We waited a year before finally getting our cat, as me and OH are both full time students we worried about the cost of getting our cat, so we saved for it which sounds silly, but we put away £5 each a week for the year which in the end made about £500. We then picked our lil kitty from the cat protection league and got a kitten with him, and lucky we saved because with his FLUTD its came in handy!!

I think with the "credit Crunch" more and more people will cancell insurance in a bid 2 save a few pennies pitty this will backfire when the pet gets ill!! I just wish people could truely understand the care and cost of having a pet!!

Re: Is it just me?

loobylou — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:58:47 GMT

Its so sad reading about these cases. Luckily we havent had any recently like this. We are very lucky that we have a lot of insured clients and it does make a huge difference.
We usually get a huge christmas clearout though, all the old, incontinent badly behaved animals pts before relatives come round to visit. Breaks my heart

I understand that circumstances can change, especially with the economy as it is now but that should be taken into consideration when aquiring the pet. I always ask myself 'can I care for this pet if I lose my job etc?' If the answer is no then you shouldnt get it!

Re: Is it just me?

Mac Feather — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:17:05 GMT

[quote user="mrs mac"]

I am seething- just heard that the cat out the window person has bought a pup,6wks old gsd, doesnt know it it k.c registered or hip scored. She says to me she needs to do research on dogs...................................Whyohwhyoh bloody why do people not research BEFOREthey go and buy a pet! Its not freaking rocket science!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/quote]

And I just know its me that will get the phone call if things go wrong with this pup. I just have a funny feeling about it but I might be wrong.

Re: Is it just me?

Mac Feather — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:14:33 GMT

I just do not understand why people dont research what having a pet entails before they get one! People test drive cars, get recommendations before buying them. I dont know many people that just decide they want a car, go n c one, not ask any questions and just buy it coz they want it.

Arrrrrrrgh!

Re: Is it just me?

loopylou711 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:20:07 GMT

Fleabee i think i saw it a few weeks ago and ever since its stuck with me!! Really love it! It just makes me angry that pets with curable illnesses are pts because owners can't afford treatment but too selfish to sign them over!!!

Re: Is it just me?

Fleabee99 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:06:14 GMT

its been my signature for quite a while now

Re: Is it just me?

Avril Louise Jackson RVN — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:01:08 GMT

Another one that upset me was home visit to pts old cat. When we got there all that was wrong with cat was had cataracts. Was sat in its bed purring and healthy. Owners wanted it pts as were moving into housing that wouldn't allow pets. They obviously felt guilty as one of them kept going on about how much eye trouble he'd had himself and he knew how painful it was!! Mentioned rehoming and answer was "can't bear to think of him with someone who might not care for him"!! Wan**rs!

Re: Is it just me?

Avril Louise Jackson RVN — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:56:44 GMT

We had to pts a lovely staffy puppy because it had demodex. She was beautiful pup but owner said don't want a dog with "the mange" No amount of education or pleading for rehome would convince them and we had to put her to sleep whilst she was happily thumping her tail and trying to lick my face. I was absolutely disgusted and devastated. Also put to sleep an old collie because clients had a baby and their new staffy pup was being protective of the baby and fighting with collie so they pts a perfectly healthy collie cos it was older and kept the staffy as it was pup! Why do some people want animals in their lives when they clearly don't really care for them?

Re: Is it just me?

Mac Feather — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:47:08 GMT

Re: Is it just me?

loopylou711 — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:56:45 GMT

I know, people think that thye can get a pet and thats it. They dont realise that animals get ill and vets cost money! i hate the whole we will go to the pdsa excuse. And don't start me on people who arnt intitled to the pdsa getting someone else to take their animalto the vet! Is there not someone on here who was the saying "can't afford the vet? Can't afford the pet" I like that and wish people would consider that when they buy a pet!!

The saddest case we had was a 9 month old kitten who had got hit by a car broke it back leg and fractured its collar bone (sometihng like that). Anyways despite offering her a loan to make the cat better, offering her the pdsa etc she insisted the cat be put to sleep. We asked if she would sign her over but she refused... she would rather the cat die than anyone else have her... i didnt understand that - a little bit selfish. The cat got lots of cuddles from me, never heard a cat cry in that much pain before, and for the cat to be in my arms as it died.... ah just something i think will never leave me :( was only my 3rd day into a new placement aswell!!

Re: Is it just me?

Caro Laithwaite VN — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:20:42 GMT

The old owner swop is standard practice see it happening all the time. Ditto the lost animal.

Re: Is it just me?

Kay Eminson — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:16:58 GMT

we recently had a 13 months old cat in who had been involved with a car, causing a fractured femur which would need a ex-fix. the client couldnt afford it so just signed it over to us. In the end,after ringing around for ages I managed to speak to our local RSPCA and they funded the whole thing, collected him and would nurse him better and rehome him!

Re: Is it just me?

Mac Feather — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:36:17 GMT

It galls me that some people can be so manipulative, they have a pet- their choice to have one, then cant/wont pay for veterinary treatment and somehow its the surgery at fault!

Oh dear Im in danger of going a bit Jez Kyle!!!!!!

Re: Is it just me?

Fiona Leathers — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:27:30 GMT

I'm having a bit of a rant at the moment with the amount people who have pets then cant afford treatment for them!! We've one cat who was supposed to come in for xray, dragging leg around etc o' cancelled cos can't afford it even after us offering to do PDSA green form. Another cat getting PTS'd cos they can't afford long term treatment - lovely cat too, only young!!