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Does this happen when people cannot afford to pay for surgery for their pets?

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98166

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Hey all, question that might ruffle those that work at Vet Offices but I can't help but ask.
Unlike regular Hospitals, I can't find (at least around my area) a Vet Clinic who will let you have a payment plan or take your pet's insurance and only charge you for the part that insurance won't pay.
Fortunately I have credit cards I could use and I make around 38 per hour, but I mean, what if I lived paycheck to paycheck? What do these vet places do? The one I used even goes as far as making you put down a deposit (1500 for mine today).
So honest question, if dog owners, say can't come up with the money or in some cases the rest of the money if the surgery already started and the final estimate was more than say the CC card max, for example, well, what the hell do they do? Basically kidnap the dog or cat? Even if the owner says I can come up with it in 1 week (for example) almost all these vet places charge 100 per night (or around) for overnight sitting.
So if the owner can't come up with money at all and is either bawling their eyes out because they can't or can't come up with it after they thought they could, do these Vet Clinics just put the dogs up for adoption or to the Animal Shelter where especially if they're older and bigger dogs will probably be put to sleep anyway? It's absolute bullchyt
I mean dogs and cats aren't like cars where if you can't afford to pay a mechanic for a car, you can still take public transit or ride a bike if the mechanic won't give you the car back unless you pay in full. This is a family member.
Am I being dramatic and yea, most Vets will work with you before saying "we're keeping your pet until you pay in full" or sadly, are almost all vets like "well you'll surrender the pet to us if you don't pay"?
 
I didnt read all of that. Have you heard of or did they suggest Care Credit? It's for exactly such things, specifically for pets.
 
Lursa said:
I didnt read all of that. Have you heard of or did they suggest Care Credit? It's for exactly such things, specifically for pets.
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Ok, but what if one has below average credit? I don't but many do
 
98166 said:
Ok, but what if one has below average credit? I don't but many do
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No idea. Do you know that they'd be turned down by Care Credit?
 
I don't mean to sound harsh, but I think part of having a pet (just like a child) is knowing whether or not you can afford the vet bills. We've always had at least 2 cats, sometimes 3, but I won't adopt a cat if I can't pay the vet bills. Just the boarding bill alone when we travel is over $300. We once had a cat with hyperthyroidism and it cost $1,300 to put her through radioactive therapy.

I'm always happy to find a way to pay the bill because they are part of our family. I do think everyone should have a pet if they truly care about them, but I don't know many can truly afford them. There is pet insurance, but that is expensive as well.
 
98166 said:
Hey all, question that might ruffle those that work at Vet Offices but I can't help but ask.
Unlike regular Hospitals, I can't find (at least around my area) a Vet Clinic who will let you have a payment plan or take your pet's insurance and only charge you for the part that insurance won't pay.
Fortunately I have credit cards I could use and I make around 38 per hour, but I mean, what if I lived paycheck to paycheck? What do these vet places do? The one I used even goes as far as making you put down a deposit (1500 for mine today).
So honest question, if dog owners, say can't come up with the money or in some cases the rest of the money if the surgery already started and the final estimate was more than say the CC card max, for example, well, what the hell do they do? Basically kidnap the dog or cat? Even if the owner says I can come up with it in 1 week (for example) almost all these vet places charge 100 per night (or around) for overnight sitting.
So if the owner can't come up with money at all and is either bawling their eyes out because they can't or can't come up with it after they thought they could, do these Vet Clinics just put the dogs up for adoption or to the Animal Shelter where especially if they're older and bigger dogs will probably be put to sleep anyway? It's absolute bullchyt
I mean dogs and cats aren't like cars where if you can't afford to pay a mechanic for a car, you can still take public transit or ride a bike if the mechanic won't give you the car back unless you pay in full. This is a family member.
Am I being dramatic and yea, most Vets will work with you before saying "we're keeping your pet until you pay in full" or sadly, are almost all vets like "well you'll surrender the pet to us if you don't pay"?
Click to expand...
Pets aren't people and (unlike cars) don't usually have any economic value that can be used as collateral. Vets aren't going to treat (or board) them without pay.
 
AmNat said:
Pets aren't people and (unlike cars) don't usually have any economic value that can be used as collateral. Vets aren't going to treat (or board) them without pay.
Click to expand...

What economic value do people have that can be used as collateral for MDs?
 
Hospitals offer payment plans, so pet surgeries should too. I guess though, that if the pet dies anyway, before repayments are complete, a lot of people would want to write off the debt ie not pay up. So maybe they should only do it for young and middle aged pets.
 
AmNat said:
Pets aren't people and (unlike cars) don't usually have any economic value that can be used as collateral. Vets aren't going to treat (or board) them without pay.
Click to expand...

Cars don't have much economic value if you crash them.
 
my cat has a chronic condition common to strays. viral sinusitis. It's masked most of the time except for bacterial outbreaks
Ive learned to mange it. but sometimes he does need professional care. My vet does work with me like if he needs an antibiotic shot, they won't charge me for an office visit if it's just a shot and no exam.

I always take in 1 stray at a time.
I can't afford anymore then that - i do try to give some to shelters. Inflation has hit vet bills like everything else
 
My dogs vet won't even do the surgery until it's paid for. Payment up front. Maybe we can get the public to chip in some tax dollars and start a government program for uninsured pets.
 
Lursa said:
No idea. Do you know that they'd be turned down by Care Credit?
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Pretty sure they can, if Care Credit gave money to those with Credit Scores below 600 how could they stay in business?
 
jonny5 said:
You shouldnt have a pet then. Vets are one of the few remaining examples of where prices are low due to most people not paying with insurance or debt.
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Vet Prices low? Are you serious?
Tired of the shouldn’t have a pet attitudes. Maybe you all should pay a visit to some of the humane societies especially the kill ones and rethink that attitude.
If vet prices were lower and/or you could pay bills in installments more could get pets and reduce shelter populations
 
Get a puppy. Start over. I promise you will love it.

You were going to have to do this anyway eventually.
 
This is why you see a lot of rescues that wind up with animals with medical issues.

Owners can’t afford astronomical vet bills and there just aren’t a lot of options.


My one dog cost us almost $2K at the vet last year for what amounted to a bad belly ache 😂🙄
 
98166 said:
Vet Prices low? Are you serious?
Tired of the shouldn’t have a pet attitudes. Maybe you all should pay a visit to some of the humane societies especially the kill ones and rethink that attitude.
If vet prices were lower and/or you could pay bills in installments more could get pets and reduce shelter populations
Click to expand...

If someone cant afford to take care of a pet, they shouldnt have one. How is that controversial?
 
98166 said:
Pretty sure they can, if Care Credit gave money to those with Credit Scores below 600 how could they stay in business?
Click to expand...

How would I know?
 
jonny5 said:
If someone cant afford to take care of a pet, they shouldnt have one. How is that controversial?
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not trying to move the thread topic
but making a comparison to illustrate why it should not be found surprising people acquire pets while not being financially or physically capable of caring for them
just look at the number of children in foster care: 400,000
11,000,000 children live in poverty (in the USA)
when examining such numbers of children brought into families unable to afford/care for them, that people do the same with pets is other than surprising
 
BirdinHand said:
This is why you see a lot of rescues that wind up with animals with medical issues.

Owners can’t afford astronomical vet bills and there just aren’t a lot of options.


My one dog cost us almost $2K at the vet last year for what amounted to a bad belly ache 😂🙄
Click to expand...

They arent really astronomical though and you can get insurance for rare high cost care. The average person spends 3k a year just on entertainment. Its a matter of priorities. But again if someone does has debt and doesnt have and emergency fund, they shouldnt have a pet (or a child).
 
jonny5 said:
They arent really astronomical though and you can get insurance for rare high cost care. The average person spends 3k a year just on entertainment. Its a matter of priorities. But again if someone does has debt and doesnt have and emergency fund, they shouldnt have a pet (or a child).
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Right on the 3k, but it’s not all at once. Plus difference with kids is almost no hospital (unless you go out of network) demands the whole cost up front and then you have to work out the insurance via reimbursement later
 
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