Greetings, Dave
With a household income of $127,000 annually, my wife and I are on Baby Step 7. Our elderly dog has recently incurred some extremely costly veterinary costs. It makes us both question how much we should spend in order to prevent him from dying. In the event that we have to make a difficult decision in the future, we would value your opinions because we both adore our dog.
Jeff
Greetings, Jeff
Whoa! Aren’t you genuinely attempting to get me into trouble? Let me start by saying this: I adore dogs. I do. I’ve had a few over my life, and at the moment, I like one more than the majority of individuals I know.
Nevertheless, this tiny creature that I adore is still a dog. I don’t have any grandchildren or children with it. The answer to the question of how much money I would spend to keep one of my children or grandchildren alive is straightforward: all of my money. Everything. I could start over from scratch again, as I have done before. That’s your response, though.
Here is something that some people will find difficult to hear. I’ve seen that some people who share my passion for animals can make the relationship more about the person than the animal. Even when the animals were still in pain, I have witnessed people shell out tens of thousands of dollars to keep their pets alive. It’s unfair to the animal at that point. And regrettably, that’s what frequently occurs in situations like this.
Listen, I get it. I don’t mean to disparage anyone, as I have also gone through similar emotions. I will be very honest with you: I have sat there and sobbed—I mean, sobbed—while animals were being put to sleep. And sometimes, in my opinion, that’s a better course of action than egotistically allowing the animal to suffer through its final weeks or months because you don’t want to experience something trying.
Nevertheless, if you can invest some money and truly solve the issue, you can provide the animal a more or less normal, pain-free existence. Take action. There are no percentages or general guidelines for this kind of activity. Let’s have things fixed if you do have the funds. However, no, if it means incurring significant debt, ruining your finances, or leaving your family struggling to make ends meet as a result. I apologize. You ought to cherish and respect that adorable tiny creature enough to spare them from suffering for you.
Jeff, I hope this makes sense to you and that you comprehend it. May God bless that elderly dog and all of you. I wish you many more joyous times together.
Dave
