Ziggy Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 The decision on exactly how much to spend on a sick/injured pet is a very personal and often difficult one to make... My cats are all insured with pet plan (that's the 5 of them), and as many people here said, they cover a pet for ongoing illnesses year after year as long as the policy is renewed every year. I hope never to have to spend 10k on one of the chooks, because to be honest I think that kind of money could do a lot more good than saving one chicken's life, especially wondering how long that same chicken would have left on her natural lifespan too... We had a similar dilemna (though for no similar amount of money thankfully) when deciding how often to put our elderly guinea pig through surgery for recurring tumours... I decided to let her have one more operation then not allow any more, as she was already 7 years old and obviously didn't have much time left anyway... As it happened, we put her through surgery and she died a week later... maybe she would have lived longer if we'd left her alone, but then one of the tumours was in a place that bothered her and seemed to be getting infected... The point is, she was a lovely pet, born at our house, but when close to their natural end, what is the point on spending a fortune on a pet's health, just to buy them an extra few weeks or months? There are many things to take into account when making those decisions, and I wouldn't feel comfortable judging anyone for their choices, no matter what that choice is... As to whether a cat or dog is more than a chicken, I'm not so sure... It all depends on one's own relation with one's pet... I used to have a hamster who was my only company when I first moved the UK and my husband worked abroad all week, and when she died I was very upset... yet a lot of people I know wouldn't even dream of taking a hamster to a vet (one of my colleagues' words were 'you're taking a hamster to the vet?... why don't you just throw it away and get another one?' - but then he always was a pompous arrogant ignorant person with no tact)... To be honest my cats mean more to me than my chooks or my daughter's rats, but that's because of the relationship I have with them, and I can imagine that other people might develop a similar loving close bond with any kind of pet (well, maybe not stick insects, but who knows ) My balance is, if someone loves a pet, as should be, they should take the best care of them, but try to be wise when it comes to limits, both from the point of view of how much the pet can take, and what is financially reasonable considering the life expectancy of the pet afterwards.... It is not always an easy decision to make, when different factors pull in different directions, and that is why it is so personal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 well said ziggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkate Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I can imagine that other people might develop a similar loving close bond with any kind of pet (well, maybe not stick insects, but who knows ) A friend of mine had a stick insect (Sticky). It developed wood worm so he took it to the vet. Alas the stick insect could not be saved but the woodworm survived and he's now very attached to Woody and the young worms. It's been life changing for him. He left his job as a left handed screw driver salesman and got a grant from the bugstrust to set up as a woodworm breeder in north yorkshire. He is thinking of buying a reclaimed oak beam to rehouse all the worms that are so cruelly evicted from Grade 2 listed buildings for no apparent reason. If you're interested in keeping domestic parasites visit the website at www.mypetsawoodworm.org. Hope that helps. Loz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I wish I had never mentioned the woman who spent 10K on her chicken now. I did not want to offend anyone and was simply trying to say that I would never consider spending that on my chickens. Like some of the others I will help my chickens and take reasonable action but would personally never spend that on a chook. If anyone out there wants to fine, I will not condemn you for it. Sorry if my comments have led to people being upset but it was just my opinion. (And thankfully by the look of I am not alone) If we all had the same opinions the world would be boring (although there would be less war.... Oh I wish I hadn't opened my gob again.... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 krysia, pls stop apologising for things you say, you did it before on another thread (can't recall which one now, oh yes I remember it was martin's thread about the positives of battery farming and you asked us not to argue, we weren't arguing we were having an interesting discussion) differing opinions opens the floor for interesting discussions. If a thread did ever get nasty or argumentative, the mods would be on it like a red mite on a chicken! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Did we ever find out how she managed to spend £10k on her chicken? Presumably it was for private treatment in an exclusive clinic somewhere in Europe with 2 weeks 5 star hotel accommodation? Sorry to be flippant but I can't imagine what treatment could cost that much. Edit: I take it back, I'm not sorry! There you go, Poet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 A friend of mine had a stick insect (Sticky). It developed wood worm so he took it to the vet. Alas the stick insect could not be saved but the woodworm survived and he's now very attached to Woody and the young worms. It's been life changing for him. He left his job as a left handed screw driver salesman and got a grant from the bugstrust to set up as a woodworm breeder in north yorkshire. He is thinking of buying a reclaimed oak beam to rehouse all the worms that are so cruelly evicted from Grade 2 listed buildings for no apparent reason. If you're interested in keeping domestic parasites visit the website at www.mypetsawoodworm.org. Hope that helps. Loz It helps massively. Thank you for injecting a much needed dose of humour when it was urgently required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I didn't ask anyone not to argue on the battery farming thread I think you are are confusing me? with someone. Vicki IT was on the BBC news website I had a bad leg or somehting and antib's etc didn;t work and it ended up having itls leg amputated., the woman cancelled her holiday (Yes you did read that correctly) to pay for the treatment and the hubby (who in my opinion is a door mat with no back bone) said as ling as she was happy he was. although he did say that the chicken sometimes forgot ot had only 1 leg and went to scratch itself and falls over!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I didn't ask anyone not to argue on the battery farming thread I think you are are confusing me? with someone. : must be my medication! anyway, i still enjoy a good discussion/debate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 A friend of mine had a stick insect (Sticky)........ very good, woodworm ho ho ho!!! (Although having had a couple of glasses of wine, I had to read it twice to be sure ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Yes has had me and hubby in hysterics too. thanks Lozkate we are thinking of breeding them now too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenzin Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I have a BIG fishing net , but mine go to there run if i ask them to as they listen carefully to what i tell them now , we have an understanding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 If a thread did ever get nasty or argumentative, the mods would be on it like a red mite on a chicken! You know us sooo well Poet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 A friend of mine had a stick insect (Sticky). It developed wood worm so he took it to the vet. Alas the stick insect could not be saved but the woodworm survived and he's now very attached to Woody and the young worms. It's been life changing for him. He left his job as a left handed screw driver salesman and got a grant from the bugstrust to set up as a woodworm breeder in north yorkshire. He is thinking of buying a reclaimed oak beam to rehouse all the worms that are so cruelly evicted from Grade 2 listed buildings for no apparent reason. If you're interested in keeping domestic parasites visit the website at www.mypetsawoodworm.org. Hope that helps. Loz It helps massively. Thank you for injecting a much needed dose of humour when it was urgently required. Lovely Just a bit confused though - who bought the oak beam (and who worked as the screwdriver salesman)? Your friend, the stick insect or the woodworm? Back to the thread; I don't have any problem with people paying £10k on their chickens. I think they are absolutely nuts, but its their money and they aren't doing me or the environment any harm. However, think of all the good you could do in other areas with £10K? You could buy some land and keep even more chickens I'd rather they spent the dosh on their chickens than on a big, polluting car. but I'd much much much rather they gave it to me! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
