Dont you think this has gone on long enough?

[Prettyjoby]

Personally I think if reptiles are giving the right environments AND are taken to the vet immediately at first sign of illness then it should'nt be too much of a problem. I am on a low income and I have had 2 snakes with RI (Both escaped for some time so wasn't down to my keeping) I took them to the vet immediately and in both cases treatment didn't come much over £40. Most reptile problems are result of poor husbandry. RI's, Mouth rott, skin infections, underage breeding, stuck eyecaps, bad nutrition etc..

I am relatively confident that my snakes are unlikely to get sick but if they did I would take them to the vet immediately. It something more expensive did crop up I would borrow from my mum and pay her back in instalments. (or arrange a payment plan at the vets) I also have insurance for my staffie because I think dogs are much more prone to getting injured/sick that reptiles.

I think the PARENTS of this young lad should have taken control of the situation. When they agreed to let him have the animal they agreed to pay the vets bills. The child can't really be held responsible but mummy and daddy can.

[Meko]

Originally Posted by Tina

What if someone, when they buy their pets (whatever they may be), has a good income and can afford any vets bills that come along or can afford to pay for pet insurance... but then they lose their job?

thats far too realistic for some people to comprehend.

[Meko]

Originally Posted by Lucifus

Ok im not one for making these sorts of posts and coming from me this may seem ironic but....grow up people.

Im sick to death of people saying "If you cant afford to take your animal to the vets you dont deserve to keep animals". While keeping an animal in long term suffering is sickening the behaviour of some keepers is absolutely deplorable. Some people cant afford to take their animals to the vets in a moments notice. If one of my animals became sick it would have to wait till next week to be treated. However in simular threads some people of what i can only describe as overly concerned busy bodys riding a rather verticle horse telling others that just because they cant get an animal to a vet in a drop of a hat they shouldnt own them at all. Sometimes times are hard, there have been times over the past year where my animals have been living lives of luxary and ive had to go days without food. Myself and others care for their animals deeply and insulting someone whos already under massive amounts of stress and distraught that they shouldnt keep animals is truely unforgivable and sickening. Especially when its a 13 year old boy! Some people may have had lives of luxary and fed with a silver spoons as a baby but some of us havent. When i was 12 i got £5 a week pocket money which i used to buy books, most poket money now is £10 a week and sometimes the parents can barely afford that. Yes animal health is a big concern but getting upity because you can afford vets bills, nice house and countless reptiles when the target is a 13 year old boy with a leopard gecko that was kept poorly in a store is deplorable and you should be ashamed of yourself.

/rant over/

just to remind people this is about ANIMALS and insurance and not just reptiles

[Prettyjoby]

Originally Posted by Tina

What if someone, when they buy their pets (whatever they may be), has a good income and can afford any vets bills that come along or can afford to pay for pet insurance... but then they lose their job?

Would someone say 'they shouldn't have bought a pet' then?

This is a good point. I recently had my work hours cut pretty much as a result of the current economic climate. How does this mean I shouldn't be allowed to keep the animals I have had 3-4 years prior to this?

I can tell you now I don't have savings, but I am sure there ARE payment plans available.

[sparkle]

Originally Posted by Meko

your arguement would have had much more substance if you hadn't edited the part out about not keeping animals if you couldn't afford vet bills a WHOLE 3 MINUTES after i posted.
Your opinion sucked, you changed your opinion and then tried to argue so your argument is as sucky as your opinion.

i always edit posts i post emotionally.. thats up to me surely..




and for the record i DONT work,,,

and i can afford whatever my animals need..

simple..

i have actually PAID for other peoples animals who couldnt afford to have them seen and treated and not take the money back off them..
I care about animals more than people..

I have sent cash to a girl in london who couldnt afford vet bills... but the difference is she realised she should have been able to at least pay a consultation.. people can aford to put away a pound a week.. dont say they cant.. and im sick of people buying more an dmore reps on this forum and not being able to afford to treat the ones they DO have.. thats nonsense frankly...

these younger members buy sweets... crisps and cans of coke..etc etc..
just like my daughter would

they dont HAVE to.. if they want an animal to bring responsibility to them as someone said.. then they need to realise that some things have to be sacrificed so they have a bit of money when its needed..

my daughters 11.. she saves 50 pence per week into her snake fund .. it may not be alot but shes had her snake a year...this means she has a fair amount to put towards the snake if it gets sick.. at least consulatation fees..

i dont beleive that a family or child cant afford 50pence per week off their pocket money or food bills... and if they dont get pocket money ONE can of coke less per week. or one less macdonalds meal a month. i mean come on.. surely its obvious

[cooljules]

ok, im disabled, cant work...i get DLA, i spent at least 80% of that on my animals...if i get a sick animal im screwed...it means weeks of not eating normally etc i have spent a fortune on the sick animals i have taken in...i cant afford ANY vet bill i get...i even have to cut down on leccy/gas etc.

i only just started breeding the bairds rats, to help get back some of the cash the 4 rescue turtle pong cost me, and some other animals...

[spider_duck]

Excellent point about people losing their jobs.

I have a lot of animals, and until recently I was in a very well paid job, now I'm jobless (And hating it). If any of my animals needed the vet between now and me finding another job, I would be up the creek without a paddle. But when I BOUGHT these animals and decided to take them into my home I didn't know that I was going to be out of a job now, so does that mean I don't DESERVE to keep them?

This is life, these things happen and we get through the best we can. No, I don't have a couple of hundred/grand lying around for emergencies, I barely have enough money to eat because it all goes on my rent and my animals, and I LIKE it that way. They always come first, they didn't choose to be taken from the wild, the least I can do is give them the best I can even if that means I go without!

Do I sound like somebody who doesn't deserve to keep animals? I personally consider myself a hell of a lot more deserving than a lot of people, who may perhaps be wealthier than I will ever be. I keep my animals to watch, observe, to learn and to love, not to look good in my living room when the neighbours come round!

Thats my two penneth, Say what you will, I deserve to keep my animals.

[sparkle]

Originally Posted by cooljules

ok, im disabled, cant work...i get DLA, i spent at least 80% of that on my animals...if i get a sick animal im screwed...it means weeks of not eating normally etc i have spent a fortune on the sick animals i have taken in...i cant afford ANY vet bill i get...i even have to cut down on leccy/gas etc.

i only just started breeding the bairds rats, to help get back some of the cash the 4 rescue turtle pong cost me, and some other animals...

funny that


but i feel i can comment about peopleon benefits who keep animals because....
im on dla too and cant work due to being in a wheelchair and having seizures

I lost my job too.. ( and a good one it was) and i find the money.. so where am i getting it from... am i magically growing it or just thinkinglong term and saving each month... i wonder eh>?

IM not uppity.. as someone sugested.. im not wealthy far from it..

Im a single mum on DLA benefits... due to being in a coma... but am i using that as an excuse... NOPE

simple.. i save hard .. and dont eat out... dont go to movies .. dont go holidays etc etc

and i find i only need the cash i save for vet bills once in a blue moon.. ive only needed to use it twice in 2 years

but the bills in total were 850..
divide that by 24 months and thats... 35 pounds per month...
not a HUGE amount considering what some people spend on MORE reps.. or going out drinking or cars or holidays



i cut down on food clothing bills everyhting..
and save my arse off for emergency vet bills..
which rarely come round..
last one was star the water dragon who cost over 500 quid to rescue..and she wasnt even my water dragon in the first place

but id saved for a year without dipping into the fund
i dont go holidays so i can do that.. and i dont have any luxuries.. none..

i just feel having 30 quid for a consulatation is a minimum requirement..

im not expecting everyone to have hundreds or thousands.. but surely a first consultation fee is essential... if we start saying its not..
that shows we would prefer to HAVE an animal that actually think about how we will CARE for it long term

please dont start saying im expecting people to have two grand just so you can argue against an extreme point i didnt make.. to make it LOOK like i said something i didnt

what im saying IS

I expect people to put away something for basic consultation fees of 30 to 40 quid.. I cant see why that viewpoint is SO horrifically wrong

[tombraider]

Not all vets do payment plans. The one i use doesnt due to people in the past not paying. Luckily Ive always had the money to pay for vet treatmeant for any of mine or the kids pets.

I did mention on that other post about help from the RSPCA but everyone ranted on about dont go there, they put them to sleep, they will take you to court. Its nothing like that at all. Ive not used them myself but my eldest did a while ago. All you do is phone up your local RSPCA and ask for a number. you take the number to your vets and fill in any forms there. The RSPCA does not even see whatever pet you need help with.

Anyway I will call into the little old mans house tomorrow at the end of the block, the man whos only company is his little jack russel and tell him because he lives on a rubbish pension he has to rehome his dog

[Meko]

Originally Posted by sparkle

i always edit posts i post emotionally.. thats up to me surely..




and for the record i DONT work,,,

and i can afford whatever my animals need..

simple..

i have actually PAID for other peoples animals who couldnt afford to have them seen and treated and not take the money back off them..
I care about animals more than people..

I have sent cash to a girl in london who couldnt afford vet bills... but the difference is she realised she should have been able to at least pay a consultation.. people can aford to put away a pound a week.. dont say they cant.. and im sick of people buying more an dmore reps on this forum and not being able to afford to treat the ones they DO have.. thats nonsense frankly...

these younger members buy sweets... crisps and cans of coke..etc etc..
just like my daughter would

they dont HAVE to.. if they want an animal to bring responsibility to them as someone said.. then they need to realise that some things have to be sacrificed so they have a bit of money when its needed..

my daughters 11.. she saves 50 pence per week into her snake fund .. it may not be alot but shes had her snake a year...this means she has a fair amount to put towards the snake if it gets sick.. at least consulatation fees..

i dont beleive that a family or child cant afford 50pence per week off their pocket money or food bills... and if they dont get pocket money ONE can of coke less per week. or one less macdonalds meal a month. i mean come on.. surely its obvious

1 - you posted
2 - i replied to your post
3 - you edited your post and deleted the bit i replied to
4 - you replied to my post as though what i replied to never existed
5 - you just said it yourself. You're sick of people buying reptile after reptile after reptile (and i agree) but this isn't just about buying loads of reptiles its about people saying if you can't afford vet bills FOR ANY ANIMAL you shouldn't have animals. thats it, no hidden agenda and people can't just magic money from nowhere 10 years after they bought the animal or 6 weeks after they lost their job or when their other have found out they were expecting twins.