10 ms·

Why is it like that though? Like what are the economics of performing the procedure that it's possible for it to be free if the owner gives it up? Does someone

Why is it like that though? Like what are the economics of performing the procedure that it's possible for it to be free if the owner gives it up? Does someone different ultimately foot the bill?

hvs 3y ago
The new owner pays for it.
- CommieBobDole 3y ago
  How does that work, though? Is there a constellation of dog-seeking people hovering around veterinary offices that only want dogs that cost $10k and have recently had major surgery? People who are willing to donate $10k to save a dog's life but consider it very important that the current owner no longer have the dog anymore for some reason?
  - bb611 3y ago
    $10k means very different things to people of different socioeconomic statuses, but the new owner took a rinsing to keep this dog alive - german shepherd puppies from almost all breeders cost less than $5k. Likely the vet simply knew someone with deep enough pockets who loves dogs and was willing to take one for a well above market fee. It doesn't seem unethical to me that person only wants to save dogs they own.
  - kristjansson 3y ago
    For a well-bred GSD, probably. Waits for puppies can be years, and cost thousands anyway. Paying a bit more in vet bills instead probably seems reasonable to the right owner.
  - mcpackieh 3y ago
    This is going to change how I view yuppies who tell me they rescued their dog. Was the dog really owned by abusive people before they bought it? Or was the dog owned by a family that loved it but couldn't afford a $10k procedure? Is there a tactful way to ask? I wish I didn't know such arrangements are happening.
  - Fomite 3y ago
    Based on my experience with vets, a large percentage of the time it ends up living with the vet. Every single one I know has a small menagerie of broken animals.
wing-_-nuts 3y ago
I can't see it as anything other than emotional extortion. It's not like the animal shelter is paying for that care. It's being written off, and the reason it's being written off is they make so much from the owners that do pay they can afford to do so.
- freedomben 3y ago
  From a microeconomic perspective (which is also my own), I agree completely. I am trying to consider the macroeconomic perspective as well though, which quickly spirals into bankruptcy if they just start doing treatment for free for people who can't/won't pay for it. Unless/until we make it easier and cheaper for people to go to vet school, they have to make money.
- jncfhnb 3y ago
  It is NOT being written off. It is being paid for. It wouldn’t make any sense otherwise. It would be a lose lose for an animal shelter to receive this deeply fragile animal and the vet to do this expensive surgery for free.
  - wing-_-nuts 3y ago
    Who do you think is paying $10k for this pup?
    - jncfhnb 3y ago
      The people who get the pup. That is how it works. It’s not going to a shelter.
Dig1t 3y ago
You can do this a few times, and sometimes they do actually just do the procedure for free and the owner gets to keep the animal. But it does not scale. As soon as it becomes a rule then it becomes abused. One thing you realize quickly when running a clinic that deals with the public is any rule/policy that can be abused, WILL be abused. People try all kinds of tricks to not pay for their bills. And the clinic has to fight a constant battle with Yelp reviews as well, which greatly affect their business. If someone gets free treatment for one animal but not another they will destroy the business with Yelp reviews. You get a wide range of clients at a vet clinic, some people are very nice and deal honestly, but there are a ton of people out there, I would say they are "less than savory" characters who recklessly adopt a lot of pets (like 5 dogs, 5 cats, and no money to pay for any bills) and will abuse these policies all day.
alwa 3y ago
In the case the article mentioned, yes. The vet found someone willing to adopt the puppy and foot the bill for the heroic intervention.
- dudul 3y ago
  Who are these people who want a puppy but instead of getting one for $60 at a shelter just wait for the chance to pay $10k to take one from its owner?
Dig1t 3y ago
At my wife’s clinic they have shelters that pay for the procedure on condition of taking the animal. Like there is a shelter in the city that will pay for medical bill and take the dog. I do sort of see the logic. Part of responsible pet ownership is being able to keep your animal alive and healthy, if you don’t have the resources to do that then you maybe aren’t ready to be a pet owner. They make insurance to cover this exact thing, called pet insurance. If you can’t afford to have pet insurance and you can’t afford to pay for the medical bills then you can’t afford to have a pet. There are other people who will provide the care that the animal needs, but at that point they will become the owner. I understand that this sounds heartless WRT the owner, I didn’t make these rules this is just how it works at my wife’s clinic and that’s the justification I have heard from the shelter and the company that owns the clinic.

Why is it like that though? Like what are the economics of performing the procedure that it's possible for it to be free if the owner gives it up? Does someone different ultimately foot the bill?

hvs 3y ago

The new owner pays for it.

CommieBobDole 3y ago
How does that work, though? Is there a constellation of dog-seeking people hovering around veterinary offices that only want dogs that cost $10k and have recently had major surgery? People who are willing to donate $10k to save a dog's life but consider it very important that the current owner no longer have the dog anymore for some reason?
- bb611 3y ago
  $10k means very different things to people of different socioeconomic statuses, but the new owner took a rinsing to keep this dog alive - german shepherd puppies from almost all breeders cost less than $5k. Likely the vet simply knew someone with deep enough pockets who loves dogs and was willing to take one for a well above market fee. It doesn't seem unethical to me that person only wants to save dogs they own.
- kristjansson 3y ago
  For a well-bred GSD, probably. Waits for puppies can be years, and cost thousands anyway. Paying a bit more in vet bills instead probably seems reasonable to the right owner.
- mcpackieh 3y ago
  This is going to change how I view yuppies who tell me they rescued their dog. Was the dog really owned by abusive people before they bought it? Or was the dog owned by a family that loved it but couldn't afford a $10k procedure? Is there a tactful way to ask? I wish I didn't know such arrangements are happening.
- Fomite 3y ago
  Based on my experience with vets, a large percentage of the time it ends up living with the vet. Every single one I know has a small menagerie of broken animals.

wing-_-nuts 3y ago

I can't see it as anything other than emotional extortion. It's not like the animal shelter is paying for that care. It's being written off, and the reason it's being written off is they make so much from the owners that do pay they can afford to do so.

freedomben 3y ago
From a microeconomic perspective (which is also my own), I agree completely. I am trying to consider the macroeconomic perspective as well though, which quickly spirals into bankruptcy if they just start doing treatment for free for people who can't/won't pay for it. Unless/until we make it easier and cheaper for people to go to vet school, they have to make money.
jncfhnb 3y ago
It is NOT being written off. It is being paid for. It wouldn’t make any sense otherwise. It would be a lose lose for an animal shelter to receive this deeply fragile animal and the vet to do this expensive surgery for free.
- wing-_-nuts 3y ago
  Who do you think is paying $10k for this pup?
  - jncfhnb 3y ago
    The people who get the pup. That is how it works. It’s not going to a shelter.

Dig1t 3y ago

You can do this a few times, and sometimes they do actually just do the procedure for free and the owner gets to keep the animal. But it does not scale. As soon as it becomes a rule then it becomes abused. One thing you realize quickly when running a clinic that deals with the public is any rule/policy that can be abused, WILL be abused. People try all kinds of tricks to not pay for their bills. And the clinic has to fight a constant battle with Yelp reviews as well, which greatly affect their business. If someone gets free treatment for one animal but not another they will destroy the business with Yelp reviews. You get a wide range of clients at a vet clinic, some people are very nice and deal honestly, but there are a ton of people out there, I would say they are "less than savory" characters who recklessly adopt a lot of pets (like 5 dogs, 5 cats, and no money to pay for any bills) and will abuse these policies all day.

alwa 3y ago

In the case the article mentioned, yes. The vet found someone willing to adopt the puppy and foot the bill for the heroic intervention.

dudul 3y ago
Who are these people who want a puppy but instead of getting one for $60 at a shelter just wait for the chance to pay $10k to take one from its owner?

Dig1t 3y ago

At my wife’s clinic they have shelters that pay for the procedure on condition of taking the animal. Like there is a shelter in the city that will pay for medical bill and take the dog. I do sort of see the logic. Part of responsible pet ownership is being able to keep your animal alive and healthy, if you don’t have the resources to do that then you maybe aren’t ready to be a pet owner. They make insurance to cover this exact thing, called pet insurance. If you can’t afford to have pet insurance and you can’t afford to pay for the medical bills then you can’t afford to have a pet. There are other people who will provide the care that the animal needs, but at that point they will become the owner. I understand that this sounds heartless WRT the owner, I didn’t make these rules this is just how it works at my wife’s clinic and that’s the justification I have heard from the shelter and the company that owns the clinic.