My first PH "benefit scroungers" thread (PDSA content)

[numtumfutunch]

We woke up today to find the dog pretty ill looking with an abscess that almost certainly wouldnt wait till the vet opens on Tuesday after the Bank Holiday

Theyve just stopped running an out of hours service themselves and their website directed us to national company who rent space from the local PDSA hospital, the result of which was an efficient 2 1/2h visit this morning with examination, blood tests, abscess lancing and antibiotics to go home with.

And a bill of £350
(Goodness knows what this would have been with an anaesthetic and proper operation)

During the 2 1/2h I was sat in the waiting room 6 other pets were brought in for treatment with the PDSA not the outfit I dealt with
3 pedigree dogs, one labradoodle thing, a cat and a rabbit

All were asked for a donation when they left and all refused except the only one who actually looked down on his luck who gave a fiver

Which begs the question who's the mug here:

Me for actually paying £350?
My insurance company who will be reimbursing me?
The PDSA for providing free care to people who looked like they actually could contribute a bit?
The whole country for collectively promoting a sense of entitlement within the benefit culture?

Dont get me wrong in principle the PDSA do sterling work and any of us could find ourselves out of work and on the bread line with a longstanding family pet which starts racking up ££££ bills, but...................

Discuss

[davepoth]

"I pay my taxes for the NHS, and this is just like it...but for pets."

Obviously.

[CountZero23]

The PDSA have fairly strict rules about who can access the free care they provide.

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/vet-services/eligibility

There was a thread recently about how much PH'rs pets cost. Quick tally showed my cats cost me around £1500 over the first 6 months for just the usual vet bills, food etc.

I would never consider having a pet without being able to afford it and any bills that might crop up. The again I have the same attitude to children...

[Funkycoldribena]

Amazingly,some people do have jobs for a large proportion of their lives then find themselves redundant and on hard times.Hard to believe for some on here, but not everyone is a high flying executive who can walk from one job to the next.

[gus607]

That out of hours vet service is an absolute rip off imho.

Nearly £160 just to see the vet then medical costs as well, also if your pet is kept as an in-patient come Monday morning then your pet has to be transferred to your own vets to continue treatment.

The first thing they will ask is "Do you have pet insurance" ?I wonder why.