by Hope
I’m sure this post is going to have readers slapping their foreheads at my decisions and priorities again. So just wanted to start off by saying, I realize that spending money on pets is not everyone’s priorities, and I feel that I have fairly reasonable boundaries on acceptable spending in this category.
I have 5 dogs. Down from 7 earlier this year. Their food costs around $150 per month. And once a year, they all get the required shots which typically runs about $30-50 per dog at the local Tractor Supply.
My Heart Dog
Addie is my heart dog. I got her off Facebook as a puppy for free about 2/1/2 years ago. And fell in love.
I don’t know if the statement about having a favorite child applies to dogs, but she is hands down my favorite. She has travelled with me to Texas twice this year, sleeps with me, sits with me when I’m working, crying, whatever.
A few weeks ago, during one of my “most broke” weeks, I needed to take Addie to the vet. I had held out as long as I could, tried all sorts of over the counter remedies, etc. but it became apparent that nothing was working. I was about a week out from getting another paycheck. And had no money.
I called the vet to make an appointment. After letting them know the symptoms, etc. they asked if I could bring her that day. Of course, I could, I’ve got a lot of time on my hands in the afternoons. But I couldn’t pay them, anything.
I was upfront about the financial situation and asked if I could write a post-dated check. The receptionist said she would have to check and would call me back.
In the end, they agreed to accept the post-dated check, and Addie was seen that afternoon. She was put on anti-biotics, steroids, and another medication. Two weeks later, she is right as rain. And this dog mama is so relieved.
That post-dated $200 check hurts in a lot of ways financially. But for my mental and emotional health – worth every single penny!
Pet Insurance
When we got Cali, Sophie and Murphy 6 years ago from the Humane Society, they came with 1 year of “pet insurance” or something like that. Murphy was Princess’ dog, a Chihuahua that was OLD when we got him. Within a week, he was having seizures and come to find out also heart issues. That “insurance” covered NOTHING. It was such a waste, so I’m glad it wasn’t an expense.
But since then, I don’t even consider health insurance for pets. Do you?
Princess and Murphy when I went to pick him up from her at school to bring him home to say goodbye
I am so blessed to have had very healthy animals. And when the dogs were fosters, all those expenses were covered anyways. We had to let go of Murphy earlier this year. I cannot remember if I wrote about it. He had been living with Princess at school and it was time. I am so grateful for the compassionate and affordable service the Humane Society provided when it was time to say good bye. He is buried in our side yard.
What is your personal experience with pet health insurance? And how do you cap what you spend on your furry family members?
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
I’m not condemning you for the current spending since pets are live animals you can’t just let them starve. And I understand you can’t relinquish them to a shelter because they may not make it. But you never could afford that many dogs, even with your six figure job. You need to be honest with yourself in the future and have a max of 1 pet and only if you can save for their long term care.
If you haven’t already, I would call around for free pet food often. I would also work on rehoming some of them now and not wait until the absolute last minute when you’d be forced to just dump them somewhere. At least you’ll have the benefit of time and hopefully an appropriate family will come along.
Elderly dogs may not be “rehomable” and like the above poster, I understand your attachment to them. But you may be able to find donated dog food, heart worm medicine and the like. Try the Humane Society, try organizations like ASPCA. Maybe your town or country offers free rabies clinics? Try Next Door. In my area, the people posting there are big animal lovers. Explain your situation and I bet you will be met with sympathy.
It’s typically better to acquire pet insurance with a young healthy animal. Pet health insurance plans tend to exclude pre-existing conditions. There are plans out there that will cover pre-existing and chronic conditions, as well as plans geared towards senior animals. Naturally these plans are going to be more expensive.
So “is it worth it” depends entirely on the plan and your pet.
Good to know. I would never have considered it, but it was quite disheartening that it was given to us by the shelter as a kind of assurance with adopting the older dogs and then not usable at all.