Comments on: My Dog Is My Greatest Luxury, In Life And In Death http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/ Everything About Money You Were Too Polite To Ask Wed, 22 May 2013 13:54:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Faintly Macabre http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36151 Faintly Macabre Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:27:37 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36151 This is lovely. Our old dog was a shepherd mix (the best kind of dog!), and the debate over when to put her down was agonizing because she never got deathly ill, just gradually declined. My family now has a 9-year-old pitbull who got his first real home in late 2011. I think he once had abusive owners based on his fear of certain things and his age, but when the shelter got him, he'd been a stray for who knows how long. It makes me so happy that after so many years of neglect (he has scars and missing teeth), he gets to live out the rest of his days in a warm home with people who love him. What you're doing for Kenny is priceless. And now I'm getting a bit teary, dammit! This is lovely. Our old dog was a shepherd mix (the best kind of dog!), and the debate over when to put her down was agonizing because she never got deathly ill, just gradually declined. My family now has a 9-year-old pitbull who got his first real home in late 2011. I think he once had abusive owners based on his fear of certain things and his age, but when the shelter got him, he’d been a stray for who knows how long. It makes me so happy that after so many years of neglect (he has scars and missing teeth), he gets to live out the rest of his days in a warm home with people who love him. What you’re doing for Kenny is priceless. And now I’m getting a bit teary, dammit!

]]> By: Laurabean http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36143 Laurabean Thu, 21 Feb 2013 22:42:41 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36143 @jessie Thank you so much! I volunteer at a shelter and sometimes it breaks my heart to see sweet but shy dogs with hard histories get overlooked. Really, thank you. @jessie Thank you so much! I volunteer at a shelter and sometimes it breaks my heart to see sweet but shy dogs with hard histories get overlooked. Really, thank you.

]]> By: jessie http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36129 jessie Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:41:36 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36129 I had a cat whom I loved very much, and in the last couple of years of his life I spent a lot of money on his vet bills. More money than I possessed—I put it on my credit card. I looked online and saw a lot of people declaring that they would never spend as much as I had, and I felt kind of foolish. But I decided in the end that I'd rather be a caring person than a coldly practical one, and that I'd racked up debt for a lot less worthy causes. Of course, everyone has to make the decision that's right for them. Anyway, now that he's gone, I don't care how much I spent. After my cat died I got a dog. She came from the shelter, and she seems like she's had a hard life. No one else wanted her, so I brought her home. She's not the most effusive dog, and I often feel like we haven't really bonded in our 14 months together. I fret a lot about how much money I spend on her—just the basics (food, routine vet care, occasional boarding) cost so much. But reading this article reminds me that it's worth it. She's a good girl and she deserves a good life, and I know once she's not here anymore I'll be glad that I tried to do that. I had a cat whom I loved very much, and in the last couple of years of his life I spent a lot of money on his vet bills. More money than I possessed—I put it on my credit card. I looked online and saw a lot of people declaring that they would never spend as much as I had, and I felt kind of foolish. But I decided in the end that I’d rather be a caring person than a coldly practical one, and that I’d racked up debt for a lot less worthy causes. Of course, everyone has to make the decision that’s right for them. Anyway, now that he’s gone, I don’t care how much I spent.

After my cat died I got a dog. She came from the shelter, and she seems like she’s had a hard life. No one else wanted her, so I brought her home. She’s not the most effusive dog, and I often feel like we haven’t really bonded in our 14 months together. I fret a lot about how much money I spend on her—just the basics (food, routine vet care, occasional boarding) cost so much. But reading this article reminds me that it’s worth it. She’s a good girl and she deserves a good life, and I know once she’s not here anymore I’ll be glad that I tried to do that.

]]> By: reggie http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36104 reggie Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:51:44 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36104 Just think of how happy you have made him. He has known nothing but unfettered happiness since he found you - he has been played with, fed, warm, taken care of when sick and above all, loved. You have been there, for better or for worse. He knows it. I know that all pets are same, bought or adopted, but I do think adopted ones are forever more grateful & happy to love and be loved. Im with kbn22 - when his time comes, it will be super sad & and you will miss him forever, but try to console yourself knowing that he was happy until the end. Not many humans can say the same. Just think of how happy you have made him. He has known nothing but unfettered happiness since he found you – he has been played with, fed, warm, taken care of when sick and above all, loved. You have been there, for better or for worse. He knows it. I know that all pets are same, bought or adopted, but I do think adopted ones are forever more grateful & happy to love and be loved. Im with kbn22 – when his time comes, it will be super sad & and you will miss him forever, but try to console yourself knowing that he was happy until the end. Not many humans can say the same.

]]> By: dudeascending http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36101 dudeascending Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:35:31 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36101 ;_; ;_;

]]> By: AitchBee http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36082 AitchBee Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:22:54 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36082 @kbn22 I'm not crying YOU'RE crying @kbn22 I’m not crying YOU’RE crying

]]> By: honey cowl http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36080 honey cowl Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:22:04 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36080 This. Breaks my little heart. This. Breaks my little heart.

]]> By: themegnapkin http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36078 themegnapkin Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:20:26 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36078 So heartbreaking! I'm so glad you're giving Kenny a happy and wonderful life. My dog is 11-13 years old, and every day I think about how lucky I am to have him, and how I want him to be happy and healthy and my little best friend forever. I would do *anything* for him (donate a kidney, jump in front of a car, take a bullet), but I'm with kbn22 above - when my little guy's quality of life goes down, I'm not going to make him go through painful treatments in the hopes of eking out a few more months with him. So heartbreaking! I’m so glad you’re giving Kenny a happy and wonderful life. My dog is 11-13 years old, and every day I think about how lucky I am to have him, and how I want him to be happy and healthy and my little best friend forever. I would do *anything* for him (donate a kidney, jump in front of a car, take a bullet), but I’m with kbn22 above – when my little guy’s quality of life goes down, I’m not going to make him go through painful treatments in the hopes of eking out a few more months with him.

]]> By: kbn22 http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36075 kbn22 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:13:49 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36075 I'm so very sorry you're dealing with this. But as you already know, you are doing a GREAT thing by doing everything you can to make him happy and comfortable. Even if you had a million dollars, it might not be worth putting him through all the treatment just to buy a few extra months - after all, the dog doesn't realize all the treatments are in the service of a longer life; they just know they're unpleasant and involve a lot of trips to the vet. I foster and volunteer at an animal shelter, and sometimes the animals have to be euthanized and it's very sad for all involved. But another volunteer said something once that made me feel a lot better - unlike humans, animals have no fear of death at all. A dog has no idea when he wakes up that it will be his last day. So as long as they're not in pain, they're happy all the way through; we can only hope ourselves to be that lucky when it's our turn. Keep doing what you're doing, and giving Kenny lots of love and treats. When it's time for him to go, I know how sad it will be for you. But maybe it will make it a bit easier to think that it won't be sad for him. I’m so very sorry you’re dealing with this. But as you already know, you are doing a GREAT thing by doing everything you can to make him happy and comfortable. Even if you had a million dollars, it might not be worth putting him through all the treatment just to buy a few extra months – after all, the dog doesn’t realize all the treatments are in the service of a longer life; they just know they’re unpleasant and involve a lot of trips to the vet. I foster and volunteer at an animal shelter, and sometimes the animals have to be euthanized and it’s very sad for all involved. But another volunteer said something once that made me feel a lot better – unlike humans, animals have no fear of death at all. A dog has no idea when he wakes up that it will be his last day. So as long as they’re not in pain, they’re happy all the way through; we can only hope ourselves to be that lucky when it’s our turn. Keep doing what you’re doing, and giving Kenny lots of love and treats. When it’s time for him to go, I know how sad it will be for you. But maybe it will make it a bit easier to think that it won’t be sad for him.

]]> By: OllyOlly http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/my-dog-is-my-greatest-luxury-in-life-and-in-death/#comment-36068 OllyOlly Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:54:00 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=23944#comment-36068 Holy cow, thank goodness I am alone in my office right now. This is very sweet and heartbreaking. Holy cow, thank goodness I am alone in my office right now. This is very sweet and heartbreaking.

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