Spend a fortune to save your pet

2023-12-20 09:00:59

Bad luck befell Igor, the four-year-old boxer of Camille Wilkie and her partner, a little over a month ago. The costs began to pile up when they rushed to see a veterinarian because their companion was no longer eating or drinking. The bill for treatment has since reached $35,000.

“While you are being offered tests that each cost hundreds of dollars, your dog looks at you with wide eyes. We went ahead with all the tests,” says this Estrie resident.

They then simultaneously learned that Igor had swallowed a foreign body and that he had a cancerous mass. Two operations, one of which was emergency, had to be carried out. Afterwards, there was hope that their dog would return to health.

The operation to remove the foreign body cost a minimum of $6,000, plus regarding $1,000 per day of hospitalization, they were warned. “We were told that the dogs generally returned following two days, but that there might be complications. We fell into the rare and most difficult cases,” laments M.^me Wilkie. The wound became infected, so much so that Igor had to undergo a second operation which lasted several hours; he was finally hospitalized for 14 days.

“Once you start paying, you can’t stop. You’re not going to let your pet die following spending thousands of dollars. You see the money coming out once more and once more. I don’t wish that on anyone,” says this striking teacher.

Once you start paying, you can’t stop. You’re not going to let your pet die following spending thousands of dollars. You see the money coming out once more and once more. I don’t wish that on anyone.

The removal of the cancerous mass went well, and Igor is on the road to recovery.

Generous loved ones

To manage to pay this amount, which was far too high for their budget, Camille Wilkie and her partner had recourse to the generosity of their loved ones. Members of their families spontaneously made large donations to them. They also launched a crowdfunding campaign on the GoFundMe site, which raised $8,110 (out of a goal of $15,000) thanks to 156 contributors. The platform is also full of campaigns aimed at paying for veterinary care.

“We were really moved. It made all the difference. Without that, we would not have been able to save him,” testifies M^me Wilkie. She claims that she and her partner would have been willing to sell many of their valuable possessions, such as their trailer and mountain bikes, to finance Igor’s care.

It is also thanks to the support of their loved ones that Audrey Thivierge and Michael Dominguez Robitaille were able to pay the approximately $7,000 requested by a veterinary emergency clinic to help Denise. This little tricolor cat, then one year old, had accidentally ingested a pants cord during a weekend night. She was in very bad shape, forcing them to consult a clinic open all the time, whose fees are much higher than in ordinary clinics. “The emotions of the moment took over. You tell yourself that you have the possibility of saving her, so you do it,” recalls M^me Thivierge.

They had to pay most of the cost of the operation in advance, and run up their credit cards, but several of their relatives quickly agreed to lend them large sums. A friend also launched a donation campaign for them on the Buy Me a Coffee platform, which raised more than $1,000.

“I was really surprised. I felt bad asking for help. I expected people to say it was just a cat,” says the interior designer, who still carries debts linked to this episode.

Responsibility towards the animal

There are several reasons why pet owners can loosen their purse strings so much. “In our Western societies, we see in major surveys that a strong majority of people consider their animals to be full members of the family,” observes Catherine Amiot, professor of psychology at the University of Quebec in Montreal. “We will therefore want to treat these individuals in a manner equivalent to humans. »

This relationship can be conceptualized as a form of friendship or as a parent-child relationship, reports this specialist in bonds between animals and humans. Many owners therefore feel a great responsibility towards their pets.

And what can make people donate money to save someone else’s pet? “I have the impression that there is possibly solidarity between animal owners, because we know how negative it is to see our animal suffer,” says M.^me Amiot. Major social trends are also in favor of greater concern for animal welfare.

Research shows that the cost of veterinary care is one of the most stressful things people report when it comes to their pets, notes M.^me Amiot. She considers it important to think collectively regarding the issue of inequalities in access to veterinary care, especially since a majority of Canadians live with a pet.

Insurance as a solution?

According to Laurence Massé, general director of the Montreal SPCA, pet insurance is a good solution. “We need to increase education around insurance or [que les propriétaires d’un animal] predict the costs [d’urgence] which may be more difficult to absorb,” she says.

“$1,500 is the threshold at which many pet owners find themselves faced with very difficult decisions regarding their ability to finance their pet’s treatment,” said Laura Bainbridge, senior vice president of communications at Trupanion, the largest pet insurer in Canada. Currently, 4.35% of dogs and 1.2% of cats in Canada have medical insurance, according to data from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). In Canada, it costs regarding $35 per month to insure a cat and $60 to $65 to insure a dog, says the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.

According to the Association of Quebec Veterinary Doctors in Small Animal Practice, you should expect to pay $1,503 to $2,307 per year to meet the needs of an adult dog and $1,099 to $1,384 per year to meet the needs of an adult dog. to those of an adult cat. This includes the cost of food, veterinary care and insurance.

Audrey Thivierge and Michael Dominguez Robitaille consider that this insurance is expensive. “A friend of ours, instead of paying $50 a month, takes that money and puts it in an account. That way, if you don’t need it, you have it, otherwise, you haven’t lost it. It’s a good idea,” said Mr. Dominguez Robitaille.

Just like Camille Wilkie, the couple would not change the decisions they made to ensure the well-being of their pet. “I’m happy that she’s here, in health,” rejoices M.^me Thivierge. She has her whole life ahead of her. »

Tomorrow: Multinationals behind Quebec veterinary clinics

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