Pricey Dave,
My spouse and I are on Child Step 7, and we’ve got a family revenue of $127,000 a yr. We have now an older canine who has had some very costly vet payments just lately. It has us each questioning how far, financially talking, we must be keen to go to maintain him alive. We each actually love our canine, so we’d respect your ideas within the occasion we’ve got to make a extremely exhausting choice someplace down the street.
Jeff
Pricey Jeff,
Wow … You’re actually attempting to get me into bother, aren’t you? Initially, let me say this: I. Love. Canine. I actually do. I’ve had a number of throughout my life, and proper now, I’ve one I like greater than most individuals I do know.
That being stated, this little animal that I like like loopy remains to be … a canine. It’s not certainly one of my grandchildren, and it’s not certainly one of my children. In the event you had been to ask me how a lot cash I’d spend to maintain certainly one of my children or grandkids alive, the reply is easy — all the cash I’ve received. Every little thing. I’ve began over from nothing earlier than, and I might do it once more. However there’s your reply.
Now, right here’s one thing that’s going to be exhausting for just a few people to listen to. With some individuals who love their animals as a lot as I do, what I’ve noticed is that the entire relationship can turn out to be extra concerning the human than the animal. I’ve seen individuals spend tens of 1000’s of {dollars} to maintain their pets alive, though the animals had been nonetheless struggling. At that time, it’s not honest to the animal. And sadly, that’s what usually finally ends up occurring with this type of scenario.
Pay attention, I perceive this. I’m not bad-mouthing anybody, as a result of I’ve skilled these sorts of emotions, too. I’ve needed to have animals put to sleep, and I’ll be 100% sincere with you: I’ve sat there and cried — I imply flat-out sobbed — whereas it occurred. And in my thoughts, that’s a greater path to take typically, relatively than selfishly letting the animal spend its final weeks or months in ache simply since you don’t need to undergo one thing troublesome.
Now, in the event you can repair the animal — in the event you may give it a more-or-less regular, pain-free life by spending some cash and truly correcting the issue — then, certain. Do it. There’s no rule of thumb or proportion on one thing like this. In the event you really have the cash, let’s get them mounted up. But when it takes going deep into debt, wrecking your funds or leaving your loved ones scrambling to make ends meet because of this — then, no. I’m sorry. You must honor and love that fantastic little animal nicely sufficient that you just don’t make them undergo for you.
I hope you perceive this, Jeff, and that it is sensible to you. God bless you all, and God bless that previous pup. I hope you’ll have many extra joyful days collectively.
— Dave