Using a dog for a sob story!

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Equi

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Just came across the most irritating thing i have seen in a while.

This post came from a girl who was homeless at 15 and after years of struggle finally got offered a home and is struggling to afford it but has three jobs and is trooping on. This made me proud of her, and i was intending to comment that i felt she was a very strong person.

That was until i got down the comments.

Suddenly she now has a dog that shes got a vet bill for. It "can't walk on its back leg" and from the photo, it looks like a suspiciously like dislocated hip (maybe from a car, fall, boot???)

Having gone through this literally in the last month i can assure you that the vet bill for it was large, but not astoundingly large as the amount of money she is looking for donations from FB for! However, considering she has not taken the dog to the vet because she can't afford it, shes just leaving it until she has the money meaning that the leg will now have to come off, tripling the bill and amount she is asking for. I'm not sure if she realises this! And all the while this poor poor dog is suffering with a serious problem! Im in half a mind to call RSPCA :(
 
My response to posts like that is that it is illegal to withhold veterinary treatment from am animal that needs it!

I wouldn't care how hard she has had it, the dog is relying on her, end of!
 
equi said:
Just came across the most irritating thing i have seen in a while.

This post came from a girl who was homeless at 15 and after years of struggle finally got offered a home and is struggling to afford it but has three jobs and is trooping on. This made me proud of her, and i was intending to comment that i felt she was a very strong person.

That was until i got down the comments.

Suddenly she now has a dog that shes got a vet bill for. It "can't walk on its back leg" and from the photo, it looks like a suspiciously like dislocated hip (maybe from a car, fall, boot???)

Having gone through this literally in the last month i can assure you that the vet bill for it was large, but not astoundingly large as the amount of money she is looking for donations from FB for! However, considering she has not taken the dog to the vet because she can't afford it, shes just leaving it until she has the money meaning that the leg will now have to come off, tripling the bill and amount she is asking for. I'm not sure if she realises this! And all the while this poor poor dog is suffering with a serious problem! Im in half a mind to call RSPCA :(
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The blue cross will help those on low incomes/ income support. Obviously if an animal needs attention, it needs attention and this service exists for precisely that reason.

However many people on very low incomes/ homeless do have dogs. We may well judge that they shouldn't as they can't provide in the case of an emergency. However seeing the strength of those relationships and huge benefit to the owners I would be hesitant to condemn. I believe the mayhew actually piloted a scheme of day care for their rescue dogs with homeless people.

Asking for donations on fb is a grifter trick. I think it has little to do with the dog tbh.
 
I would question it being to do with the dog as well. To be honest there are times when many of us struggle so I am not wanting to say don't have a dog If you don't have much money but there are ways and means as you have pointed out to not seek them out is negligent.

The last time I saw this type of appeal on Facebook someone offered to pay the vet directly and all of a sudden the vet would only take payment from the owner of the pony and so it would need to be put in owners bank! Scam, it really worries me that some people would fall for it.
 
I guess it is difficult if you are not in the catchment area of blue cross hospital though, as many people wouldn't be.
 
I smell a scam, especially so close to Christmas! Hope so anyway. If that was my dog I would sacrifice everything including my home to have him treated if needs be, or get a payday loan, whatever. Anything is better than a poorly dog.
 
I hate these new "donate to my worthy cause" things that are popping up all over the place. I have only ever donated to one, and it was to a lady who had had a pony dumped in her field. There were no spaces in any of the rescue homes and because she had lots of her own land she decided to keep it. Unfortunately, it turned out to be quite poorly and she racked up a substantial vet bill. She never once asked for help, but posted daily updates while she nursed the pony back to health. Another lady in our Facebook group set up the fund me page but there was never any ask for money, it was just there if anyone wanted to donate. Enough was raised to pay off the bill and the rest was donated to charity.

I also know a lady who likes cats. She had a few of her own, then started taking in homeless cats with kittens. She now has a page where she asks people to donate cash so she can buy food for the cats. She is not a rescue center or registered charity, she just loves cats. She used the Blue Cross when they are ill as she can't afford to pay vet bills. My opinion is, if she cant't afford to feed them, why should others pay? I love horses but can only afford 2. I wouldn't dream of asking for money to feed my ponies because I have chosen to have them!

I have seen another "sob story" on my Facebook where a lady needs a new saddle and rugs for her horse as it has outgrown its current ones and cannot afford more. Worst is, people are donating money!

Maybe we need to be less proud and get our own pages set up!
 
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