Is the Real Estate Economy So Bad that People Can't Afford Their Pets?

I was shocked when I recently read an article in our local newspaper, indicating that due to the economy, people are being forced to give up their pets. Of all the things I've heard about this horrible economy, this has to be one of the most depressing. I'm going to share something that recently happened with one of our pets. But make sure you read all the way to the bottom for a FREE way, yes I said a FREE way to help the pets that have lost their homes!

Just last week, one of my cats came within hours of dying. I won't go into details, but suffice it to say, after one night in the animal hospital, and the next 4 days and nights at the veterinarian's office, the bill was very high. So high that since the very first night, every person my husband and I have told about the incident has made an inconsiderate, obnoxious, or rude comment about the amount of money we spent to save our cat. Apparently, many people have a pre-determined dollar amount that they consider the maximum they would spend to save a pet. My husband and I had a different outlook.

My husband was the one who took our kitty to the veterinary hospital on the night he almost died. When he was told how much it would cost to help our kitty, he called me. I was borderline hysterical, and in no condition to make a decision, but even I was shocked at the dollar amount. But my husband made the decision to save "Whiskers". I was heartbroken at the thought that I might lose my kitty, and my husband knew that.

That evening when he got home, my husband was in no mood to talk about the events at the animal hospital, so I waited until the next morning to ask a few questions. Apparently he had taken a very analytical approach to his decision to pay for Whiskers' treatment. He said that he took into consideration the age of the pet, the type and severity of the illness, what quality of life Whiskers would have after treatment, whether or not we could afford the treatment, etc. And his decision was to pay for the treatment. And to be honest, we almost couldn't afford it. Our anniversary is this month, and my birthday and Christmas are next month. But I would rather have my sweet kitty than any gifts. Whiskers is the best gift I can have for all 3 of these upcoming celebrations. On every occasion, in some way I'll be celebrating the life of my furry friend.

But I realize that sometimes, people really can't afford the surprise health crises and astronomical costs than can be incurred. And I would always put the health of my "people" family first. But I can't say that I would assign a specific dollar amount to a pet, well in advance of any problems, without even knowing what my financial situation may be at that future date. But apparently that's what some people do.

I know. I'm kinda cranky right now. But you would not believe some of the inconsiderate comments I've received in the last week, in addition to the difficulty I've had in trying to get Whiskers to take his remaining medicine (we won't go there). I still bear the battle wounds.

I've had this post planned since before Whiskers got sick. So you just got the bonus of a recent, personal (TMI?) story, and maybe a few things to think about in regards to your own pets. But what I really wanted to provide was a link to The Animal Rescue Site. Yes, it's actually called The Animal Rescue Site.

The Animal Rescue Site has animal rescue stories, toys for your pets, it supports several other pet sites, sells paw-print sticky notes, and plenty of other merchandise. Most importantly, don't forget to Click to Give FREE Food and Care to all the abandoned pets.

Oh, and Whiskers is well on his way to a full recovery =)

This blog is just general information by a Port Orange real estate agent. If you followed the link embedded in Whiskers' name, you know by now that I found this cat when showing a vacant house to some buyer friends of mine. The sellers of the house had moved out and left the cat behind.

If you're looking for a pet-friendly REALTOR, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill for all your real estate needs.

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