[Rathji]

I have typed up a response to this thread a few times but stopped since I can't find a way to say what I want tactfully, so I won't bother trying.

I wish I could afford to spend more than several times my yearly housing budget or more than my entire owing amount on student loans on a pet. I can't though, and if I was in that situation, I would put a pet down without hesitation. For me, if a bill hit 4 digits, I would seriously consider it.

That said, taking care of your pets is a responsibility of pet ownership. If you have them, you need to be prepared to take care of them, and that includes paying medical bills. As a result, I don't own any pets currently and won't until such time that I would be able to provide them the care that they need.