what it takes to have a pet in new york

[hollysmom]

44. don't jump to conclusions

I once spent 4K in one year on a dog - they had to keep redoing the operation so it was in 500 increments. Not my favorite vets now. But she was young then and lived 8 years after before her heart failed. And she she was being trained as a service dog when I left her in a kennel for a week where they abused her and she could not stand loud noises after that so she just served as a bereavement help to my friends when there was a death in the family,. I used to refer to her as a loaner dog because she spent half her time away from me. She was well trained and easy to deal with so many people borrowed her in a crisis. I think she justified her expense - helped people more than medication would, so she saved people medical expenses - the hard part was getting her back after people recovered. I am sure it more than balanced out.

If you get away from the Paris Hiltons and her ilk, you will find most pets are not all that expensive and most provide an humanizing influence, our lives would be lesser without pets.

Now, when she was a puppy and ran after a squirrel, my mother let herself be dragged on her face because she did not want the dog to get hurt - but I told her I could get another dog but not another mother, And when she was older and trained, My mother kept this dog for 6 months after my father died to help her get used to being alone.

So I think it is wrong for people to be berated for their pets, most people here are more than generous to others. I don't want to judge anyone on generalities.