Granted there are many pet owners that have not been educated to what constitutes good and reasonable care for an animal, and all they have seen is the "just feed it and give it water and that's all you have to do" care taking.
A lot of it is due to what economics, and their heritage...if they haven't seen it and haven't been taught they won't know, and DO need to be educated. But not everyone is in that category, and shouldn't be assumed to be.
I personally have seen money hungry vets, and have heard some horror stories along that line, and about one particular clinic in my area. And another one I have gone to I felt like they saw dollar signs when I came through the doors, even when I let them know up front money was a issue for me.
I give my animals the best care I can "afford" -- good food treats, supplements. One of my animals has bad joints, major elbow surgery I can't afford, but we do everything else we can short of that, and for him, thank God it has helped a lot. Is he pain free - no. And maybe if money was not an issue we could try all sorts of things.
In his situation, the surgery wouldn't even help. So what I'm saying - each thing that comes up -- its a decision -- is it really necessary, or is it just an extra that would be nice but doesn't affect the overall health thereof.
If we limited pet ownership to only those that had deep pockets - what a loss. My dog was already a living creature when I took him home (wasn't born because I asked him to be, had his parents bred, etc.) - was a stray in a shelter who easily might not have been living had we not taken him home - (my other dog is in the same category). Maybe I don't have deep pockets, but he's been loved like no other for the past 2 years with everything I can possibly do. He wouldn't trade it for anything else, I know.
Dogs deal with whatever situation they are in and accept it. Life isn't perfect... and no matter how much money a person has, maybe the pet they own will require something that costs even more than they have... so where would the line be drawn?
And yes, education and responsibility need to be communicated in a major way to people that have pets or want to adopt because a lot of them do not realize what goes into owning a pet, BUT please don't assume every pet owner is in that category, and please don't assume every pet owner without deep pockets would be an irresponsible owner... its just not true.
Note from the VetMed Guide:
I agree 100% that those who don't have "deep pockets" aren't necessarily irresponsible owners. (Same goes for those with "deep pockets" -- it doesn't guarantee they will take the best care of their pet either!). I know that the other pet guides and myself have worked hard to educate viewers about their pets when it IS time to consult a veterinarian, even if just a phone call, to help with the health care decisions for their pets.
Resource article:
My pet is sick, and I can't afford to go to the vet
Tips to plan for your pet's health care needs
