The Responsibilities Of Pet Ownership

By Author: Petsecure
Total Articles: 6
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You can never discount the happiness and companionship of having a pet in the family. The reality though is that pet ownership also comes with responsibility, and this is something that many people do not consider adequately ahead of time, often with very sad consequences.In fact, according to the RSPCA Australia National Statistics Report 2008-2009, the total number of dogs received into shelters over that financial year period was a staggering 69,383. The reasons vary, but include I can't afford to keep him and I didn't realise he was going to be so difficult to take care of. In a nutshell, many people simply do not understand the responsibility of pet ownership - which means the effort required for care, training and of course the inevitable veterinary costs.

Being realistic, pet owners should expect that, like humans, some time in their life their pet, whether it be a cat or dog, will have an illness or injury, which could leave them with a bill for veterinary fees of up to a few thousand dollars.

We all hope our pets do not become ill, or require treatment for accidents, but if they do, it is much easier ...
... for both the pet owner and the veterinarian, if affordability is less of an issue, so that the appropriate tests and treatments can be provided. No-one would want to leave their pet living with chronic pain or sickness, or alternatively having to be euthanized if the suffering would be unacceptable without treatment. Sadly, this is the very real situation which owners and vets face every day.

The reality is that all quality medical services, whether they are for cats, dogs or humans, are costly. They involve hi-tech equipment including MRI scans and specialist services which require specialist personnel to conduct the procedures. But of course, theselifesaving treatments also come at a cost, and as a result it is easy for vet bills to mount up.

Luckily for us, when it comes to human health care, much of the cost is subsidised by the Government, so we often don't see the real cost. But with veterinary care, we have to cover the full amount. There's no bulk billing and no pharmaceutical benefits scheme. It's therefore quite surprising that the take up of pet insurance in Australia is still quite low. In fact, it's estimated that only 1 in 30 pet owners (3%) in Australia are covered with pet insurance, compared with the UK where 1 in 3 pet owners now have pet insurance.

It is worth considering how you would cope with the bills and what you would do, if something unexpected were to happen to your cat or dog. Because, if you don't have the funds set aside or have pet insurance in place, the reality is you could be faced with a very difficult decision.

Whilst you need to decide for yourself, which is the best pet insurance for your pet, some of the important things to consider include:

How much cover is provided each year.
Is there a limited amount you can claim per event or per-condition.
The percentage of the veterinary fees that are covered.
Is the cover guaranteed renewable?
What are the exclusions - are congenital or hereditary conditions covered and are there breed specific exclusions.

If you are thinking about pet insurance for your cat or dog, do not delay. Like any other insurance you cannot get cover after the event, and as such policies do not include cover for pre-existing conditions.

Cover is easy to get and you can get a quote and apply online in a matter of minutes.

Resources:
This article is written by Petsecure. Petsecure provide a range of cat and dog insurance plans that enable you to claim up to $11,000 benefit per annum. For further information and a free quote, please visit: http://www.petsecure.com.au/