If you do not have a lot of money...you should not have a pet?

Question

is that how the majority of you feel?

because i noticed that a lot of you look/talk(type) down on others who say they cannot afford to take their dog/cat/whatever to the vet. not everyone at all times can afford vet care, it is expensive, especially emergency vet care. i am taking my cat tomorrow and even though my boyfriend has some money, i do worry about the cost, because we do not exactly have an extra several hundred dollars just lying around. does that mean we should never have gotten cats and dogs to begin with? is that how you feel?

Answer 1

Not necessarily but in some cases yes, you should be expected to be able to pay for the needed care of the animal if you take on the responsibility of one. Some people just let their dogs or cats stay and suffer due to lack of money and i do think that is animal cruelty.In a lot of places they have an ASPCA that helps with some care to keep the animals from suffering. So to answer your question Yes, it takes more then just wanting and animal to be responsible for one. Would you let a child suffer due to lack of money? or take it to a clinic that helps with low income care? Same for the animals...

Answer 2

I think people just need to realize that there might be unexpected things that occur in the course of your pets life and if you aren't prepared mentally, physically, or financially to handle these issues then a pet might not be the best idea.  

Granted your pet may live just fine for its lifetime but if it comes down to it you better be ready to sacrifice in more than one way for that pet who has no say in the matter and relies on you for LIFE.  

If you can't sacrifice and do what is necessary for your new family member than no you should not have gotten it in the first place.  That is not to say that you have to be rich in any way.  

Oh and now they have pet insurance for situations that may break the bank...Might not be a bad idea, I am considering it myself.

Answer 3

Honestly, yes, pets are a huge and very serious responsibility, their life and happiness is in your hands.  Would you have a child you can't provide for?  Even if you couldn't provide for a child, there is the option for government assistance.  This does not apply to pets.  There are also laws in most states that say that if an animal in your possession needs medical care you must provide it.  There are insurance policies for pets that are available, so this can be helpful if you don't think you could afford an emergency on your own.  Also, in some areas, there may be programs through animal shelters or the local humane society or ASPCA that can put you in contact with low cost veterinary care.  My vet even has payment plans available.  What is important is that you never let the animal suffer on account of the fact that you can't afford to care for them properly.  If that means giving the animal up for adoption or humanely euthanizing it if you can't afford to pay to save its life, then that is your responsibility.  There is never an excuse to deprive your pet of medical care.

Answer 4

Yes. Responsible pet ownership means paying for medical care when needed.  

Answer 5

I believe that if you cannot properly care for an animal then no, you should not have it. My main complaint is people that not only go out and get animals when they cannot afford them, but also do not bother to do the research to find out how to properly care for them. There are no laws saying you have to have x number of pets, so if you cant afford them, then dont get them. A dog (or cat ect) should not have to go without just because you dont want to spend money on them.

I set aside money every week for emergency vet visits, its money that I refuse to touch for any reason except to care for my animals. I dont make very much money at all, certainly not enough to go to the doctor every time I cough, but if my pets ever need anything medically, I have the money set aside to care for them properly.  

Answer 6

You get a pet to support it.

You do not get a pet to treat it poorly and not able to give it the best life it can have. Why purchase a pet to have a crappy life?

You might think you have a good heart, but what happens if someone bad happens to one of your pets? If it gets hit by a car? You cannot pay for its bill, and how can you pay to put it down.

It is like buying a elephant and saying you will scrape by life caring for it forever.

A dog can live for years, like 20 years and that is pretty much the life expectancy of a person.

You are ignorant, thinking ONLY ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT, and not thinking what is best for your pets.

("'\(o.o)/"')

Answer 7

Once in a while it does get expensive, but if you consistently can't provide your pet with proper care you shouldn't have one.  

Answer 8

sorry, but yes.  There are too many people who yell and scream and make others feel horrible on this site.  I really don't want to do that.  However, when my husband and I were first living together we held off on getting a cat.  Our reason's were that if we couldn't drop everything and get our cat the vet care and best supplies that she needed, then we didn't need a cat.  we waited.  Once we had enough money for her, the supplies, premium food, and the super deluxe cat tree house (my husband said I couldn't get her if I didn't get the tree) then we took home baby emma.  And holy geese is she a spoiled little princess.  All of my pets, including my guinea pigs, have regular vet appointments and proper care.  i work in the pet industry and see too many people who feel that a bag of cat chow ought to be enough because it's "just a cat."  People who have "just a pet" have pets with shorter life spans and are often unhappy pets.

All the love in the world can't keep your pet disease free or treat them when they become ill.  Proper care keeps them healthy and happy, and unfortunately, proper care costs an arm and a leg.

If you want to have a pet, just make sure you are doing the best you can for preventative care.  Also, look into the Banfield animal clinc in PetSmart.  They offer something called the wellness plan and can bill you monthly in small amounts for preventative care and any other care that may need to happen.  I'm sorry if that is not what you want to hear, and your finacial status does not define your ability or desire to be a good pet mom, but it does limit you when your cat is in need.

Answer 9

dog stuff is more expensive than human stuff..think about it like this can u afford a kid if you can you can get a pet if you cant dont get one because you dont want to treat it bad.....