I have to agree that pets are being put down at shelters at an alarming rate. When the housing crisis first started in 2008 some of the people who were in foreclosure just moved out of the house an left the pets locked in the backyard. Some pets were just dumped along a lonesome road. It is still going on. Our shelters are always on overflow so some people have started rescuing on their own. I won't defend anyone who would abandon an animal. It seems that there is a shocking disregard for life emerging in this country.

I guess that is why I would defend anyone who loves their pets and does their best to do well by them. There are so many animals dying awful deaths right now due to neglect and abandonment. I have gone back and forth myself about getting another dog. I do take in abandoned animals quite often. After getting them back to being healthy and making sure they are spayed and neutered we find them good homes. I can't depend on the local shelters because the no kill is full most of the time and the other one will put an animal down after 3 days. If I got another dog it might effect my being able to help the next case that gets dumped on or near the property. Life just isn't as simple as it used to be I guess.

Guess I am going to be the odd person out in this discussion... I would give my girls to a rescue in a skinny minute, if I could not seriously afford their medical treatment or figure out how to get the money to pay. It would about kill me, but at least I would know that I was doing all I could for Piccolo or Vivi.

i agree somewhat! my grandma has a chichi and she would die for her. she even lost her home at one point for her chichi and i dont blame her. when my mother had back surgery when i was younger she couldnt work of course and we had 7 dogs...2 rotts, 2 german sharpards, 2 rott mixs. and a pit mix who was my baby and when she couldnt work it got hard but every meal i got i shared with my baby of course the other dogs got feed my mother made sure of that but i felt so bad i felt like i should only eat as they do. i had that dog till he was 15 years old. i loved him too much i even sold anything i could to make sure all the animals ate. we had all those dogs from birth till they took there last breath and my mother spent thousands on their vet care even when her rott got hit by a car and needed a metallate in his leg. now i dont have a fancy house or car or phone but i know my new furbaby will be taken care of if this means selling or pawning anything i own

I have not read the whole thread so I may be misunderstanding the point ... but I agree with Lisa. I have had a couple of "rough" years and really worried about my three. Remy is "cute" and would be adopted in a heart beat even with "problems'. But my other two are a shih tuz and a lasha and not as "cute" (to me they are beautiful) and I really worried if I could not care for them what would happened. I finally applied for care credit when Bailey had the spine injury and we were looking at surgery...I had to have peace of mind.

I have heard my own family says stuff like this. I will also say I have seen the same member fight to save a pet.. money and time. I think until you love a pet you "think" you would not pay but when the time comes you do. I used to think people were crazy ..before I ever had a dog..now I would do what I have to do.

Also.. and this may have already been said and I am sorry if I am repeating.. today it isn't simple vet care or a simple operation. I don't even blink an eye at bills under a 1000.00 (and trust me I don't have the money and have to give something up to find the money). ... but many illness can cost 10,000.00 and up. When do you balance that expense with the quality of life of your pet? I just pray I never have to face that decision