I would like to share the story of my 14 year old schnauzer. His health has been failing and I knew that he could get gravely ill at any time, plus he had arthritis very very badly in his back legs. So, when I knew we were going to be gone on business/vacation for 2 months this summer, I instructed my daughter to do whatever needed to be done, should he become ill while I was gone.
Anyway, the unthinkable happened and he became gravely ill with kidney failure. My daughter took him to our great country vet. He told my daughter that he was very ill, but that he would keep him and give him IV fluids. I was out of cell phone service that day and didn't know about it till the next afternoon. I called the vet and he said that there was nothing that could be done, but he would try to keep him alive till I got home. It was going to be 4 days till we got home and so I told the vet I didn't want him laying in that strange place all those days and to go ahead with the inevitable
I told him that I wanted him cremated and he said that he would send him to get that done and would call me when his ashes were back.
He called last week and I went out to get my dear pet. The ashes were in a very nice little wooden box and there was a beautiful certificate with his name, cremation date, and a touching little poem. It was really really very nice. The cremation was not done by the vet, but rather by a place that has a pet cemetary.
When I looked at the bill from the vet - he only charged me $25.00 for keeping him, giving him IV fluids, and putting him to sleep. I was floored - I know his charges are so very reasonable, but I expected to pay much much more for over 24 hours of hospitalization.
Anyway, I just needed to share this story and to let people know that some vets ARE in it for the love of their patients, rather than money. I know there are lots of vets out there like this, but sometimes they are kinda hard to find!