You would be hard pressed to find a dog  owner who didn’t complain (at least once in a while) about the rising costs of veterinary care. It is true that the medical bills for any animal can get quite expensive. That said, is there a limit to what one should spend to keep his/her pooch healthy? While catching up on the latest business fodder, I came across this article on the Wall Street Journal Online in which the author angrily whines about the amount of money spent on taking care of his dog when the dog got hit by a car.

Don’t get me wrong, I too feel the pinch of my wallet everytime I take a pet to the vet.  My most recent trip cost me a couple hundred dollars…and that was for my hamster.  I get it, it’s expensive, but when you decide to adopt a dog (or any animal for that matter) you are really making a lifetime commitment.

According to the AVMA, in 2006, 49.7% of pet owners considered their pets to be family members.  Additionally, I’m sure most dog owners would consider their dog some form of companion.  You can’t put a price on a family member or companion.  I feel that people get caught up in the purchase price of an animal.  For example, my father thought it was slightly ridiculous to pay expensive vet bills for a $12 hamster.  Simply because an animal has a certain purchase price does not mean that there is a cap on what should be spent for that animal.  It’s free for people to have children.  Does that mean that $0 should be spent on keeping that child healthy?

Personally, I think that unless it is more humane to put an animal to sleep, a pet owner should take full responsibility and consider the cost of veterinary bills a small price to pay for unconditional love and the good feeling of knowing you are your pet’s hero!

- Liz