Scenario:
You have moved out of the house into your first apartment, you finished school, you have a job and, everything is going great but, something is missing. Hmmmm. Then you realize – your apartment doesn’t feel like a home because it seems empty. You don’t have that companionship of a pet when you get home. So you research, talk to friends, parents, search the ads and find the perfect companion and you bring him/her home. Ahhhhh, now you feel complete. For awhile everything is great. Your pet is healthy and happy. You are much more content. Life is good. Suddenly your pet is sick or hurt! OMG – what do I do???? He needs a vet and, I’m broke until payday. What do I do?
No-one gets a pet and expects it will get sick or hurt so quite often no arrangements or research has been done ‘just in case.’ But there are a few things you can do to protect you and your pet in case of an emergency. The first is pet insurance. Talk to your clinic staff, other pet owners, research the companies and check prices.
Keep in mind that the least costly is not always the best for your needs. Insurance companies have maximums they will pay ‘per occurrence’ or ‘per year’. That doesn’t help if your dog needs a $2,000 emergency surgery and you only have $1,000 coverage. So make sure you do the appropriate research. If you aren’t sure what to ask or do, please call us. We’re here to help.
Great, you’ve signed up for Pet Insurance. But don’t stop there! Pet Insurance companies reimburse you for monies you paid out so you still have to pay the vet first, then send in your receipts to get your money back. But you’re broke! Now what do I do?
The second thing you can do in conjunction with the insurance is (and some won’t agree) apply for a credit card. This card is strictly for your pet! Use it once or twice a year, pay it off within the appropriate time period to keep the card open and boost your credit at the same time. Leave the card at home in a file or drawer so you won’t be tempted to use it. Putting these two plans together will help you should you ever have a problem.
The other alternative, if you feel you can’t afford the insurance, is to set aside monies each payday into a separate ‘Pet Account’ and build it up gradually for emergencies. Of course the hard part is not touching the money. It takes dedication but, you can do it!
But……I have a problem now and don’t have Pet Insurance or a credit card. An option is Medicard. This company offers credit in the form of a loan for those who qualify. You can apply for this while you are at the hospital. Call us for more information.
The above ideas work for any pet owner regardless of age. The younger generation has been used as an example because they are fresh into the job market and not at that point of their careers where the wage is high – they are paying off student loans, first time renters etc.
We truly hope you will never need the above ideas but it’s nice to have the peace of mind that should something unexpected come up, you have the freedom to concentrate on your pets care without the added stress of finances.
Written by Sue