This comes as surprising news within a nation regarded as animal lovers.  A breakdown of the study results revealed that 69 percent of pet owners would not give up luxuries such as dining out, weekend breaks, or shopping sprees for the sake of their pets’ health.  This is particularly prominent in London where an even greater 73 percent of owners are adamant that they would not change their lifestyles for this cause.  In contrast, it would seem that pet owners in Edinburgh are the most sentimental in the UK; therefore their pets may fair a little better.  However, despite this, 64 percent would nevertheless refuse to make sacrifices in order to finance veterinary care.

Unfortunately for animals nationwide, many owners are so intent on avoiding pricey veterinary bills that they are resorting to diagnosing their pets’ conditions themselves.  Furthermore, owners are then administering human medication, which can have fatal consequences.  Vets have warned that human painkillers such as Ibuprofen for example can cause kidney failure and stomach ulcers, ultimately leading to the death of unchecked canines.  Worryingly, a staggering one in ten owners admitted that they would ‘play vet’, irrespective of the fact that their knowledge is so limited that they even struggle to recognise when their pet is unwell in the first place.

MORE TH>N point out that many owners would appear to be taking their pets’ health for granted, with 69 percent not having pet insurance.  Also noted during the course of the study was the apparently far-reaching puzzlement and general annoyance surrounding veterinary costs.  49 percent of pet owners do not feel that charges are adequately explained before treatment commences.  In addition, 62 percent revealed that they have absolutely no idea what they will be charged until the moment they are handed a hefty bill.

As the old adage goes ‘a dog is for life not just for Christmas’ and, as a dog costs owners an average of £10,039 (excluding impromptu veterinary visits) throughout the course of its life, the decision to purchase one should not be taken lightly.

Head of Marketing for MORE TH>N, Peter Markey, commented: “Times are tough at the moment and the research shows that our pets are amongst the first to feel the bite.  Financial difficulties could leave pet owners facing some tough decisions about their animals but that doesn’t have to be the case.  The best way to avoid nasty surprises is to make sure your animal is insured but currently over two thirds of the nations pets are without cover.  Thanks to the credit crunch many of these pets are at risk of being put down if they need a surprise vet visit.  The report highlights just what a big responsibility owning a pet is and how important it is to make provisions in case the worst should happen.”

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Pet owners who are struggling to fund vets bills due to being over stretched by their current monthly outgoings, could consider taking out a secured loan.  One of many options to consolidate existing debts, secured loans are available to homeowners with a mortgage and could be used to tie up existing personal debts that may be both confusing and expensive.  By consolidating these debts, borrowers are consequently left with just one, simple monthly repayment.  Not only does this eliminate the juggling act associated with making several repayments each month but could also result in lower monthly outgoings.  When consolidating debts it should be remembered however, that doing so may increase the amount you pay back overall and extend the repayment periods of your debts.

]]> http://www.arbreyredmaninsurance.com/recession-breeds-poorly-treated-pets/feed/ 0 http://www.arbreyredmaninsurance.com/pet-wish-list-for-2012/ http://www.arbreyredmaninsurance.com/pet-wish-list-for-2012/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:35:29 +0000 admin http://www.arbreyredmaninsurance.com/?p=9 The following list isn’t a list of New Year resolutions for pets. No, pets are saints and do no wrong. Rather, this list is a list of things we – pets included – wish animal owners and governments around the world could do right.

Pet owners need to rethink their role

Humans need to realise that intimidation doesn’t work. It doesn’t work for humans so why should it work for animals? It’s time to rethink the ‘pet owner’ label – you’re not a child owner so why ‘own’ a pet?

Follow the European example

Pet insurance has been available to Europeans for years, if not decades. Sure, the economy isn’t great but it’s better to have pet insurance for when you need it. It could save your pet’s life. Compare the cost of operations with that of humans. It’s cheaper but could still cost a substantial amount. The frightening thing is that few pet owners know pet insurance is available.

Count on me through thick and thin

Time is the greatest gift you can give to anyone – and that includes pets. Spend time stroking your pet, play ‘catch’, and take it for a walk. Talk to your loved one and treat them as you would treat your best friend.

Whom you adopt speaks volumes about you

First prize normally goes to young animals but older animals also need love, care, and attention. Consider giving a home to an older animal or one that has special needs. You can bond just as well with such an animal as with a baby animal.

Give some of your time to others

Animal shelters could use all the help you can spare. There are many tasks that volunteers do: work in the office, walk dogs, bottle-feed kittens, and fix kennels. Find something that you wouldn’t mind doing and contact your local animal shelter today.

Are you pro-choice?

With regards to animals, that is. Spaying or neutering animals shouldn’t be mandated by law; this is a choice that each owner should make for themselves. There is evidence that spay and neuter laws affect some animals negatively – their owners may be more unlikely to take animals to vets if they aren’t spayed or neutered.

Scoop that poop up!

Few pet owners scoop their pets’ poop up when they’re walking the animal. Picking up contributes to a pleasant neighbourhood and also prevents parasites from breeding in the poop.

What’s all the fighting for?

Is it for entertainment? And can we really call it entertainment when animals get hurt for our entertainment? Attitudes need to change before dog fighting will stop. This isn’t easy to do but there are programmes out there that try to fight the good fight. Support them or start your own in your neighbourhood.

Don’t forget the cats

Cats are popular but their PR Company isn’t as good as the one dogs use. So this means that more cats go to animal shelters, or find themselves on the streets. Fewer cats have microchips and they often don’t receive treats as frequently as dogs do.

Feral cats need to be trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated and micro chipped. This will ensure they live healthy, happier lives than they would live on the streets.

Some of these factors can influence the amount of money they spend per month and per claim. Other factors influence how convenient the policy would be to have, eg, does the cover apply only to when the pet is in Australia or does the policy also cover the pet when they are overseas?

One of these financial factors is the co-payment, also known as the excess amount, that the pet owner needs to pay before a claim can be settled. This amount is generally a percentage of each claim that the pet insurance company receives and it is an amount that is due over and above any monthly premium payments.

There are some pet health insurance companies that do not charge co-payment fees; however, the vast majority of these companies do charge some sort of co-payment fee when they receive a claim from the pet owner.

These fees are typical to the insurance industry and are there to reduce the cost of healthcare or insurance. The insurer or health care company receives the excess or co-payment amount and pays the remainder of the claim from its own funds. The exact amount of the excess depends on the type of claim as well as on the exact policy that the pet owner selected for their pet.

Some companies allow pet owners to have a higher co-payment in the event of a claim. This means that the monthly premiums are lower, meaning that the pet owner can spend the savings on other things that can contribute to their pet’s enjoyment of life – toys, special classes, and preventative healthcare. Such an arrangement may make sense for pet owners with pets that are young and healthy, as they might not make many claims during this period.

Other pet health insurance policies allow pet owners to select a lower co-payment when they make a claim. This means that their monthly premiums would of necessity be higher, though. The benefit to this is that they would not have to worry about a large excess amount when they do claim. Such a policy might suit pet owners who take care of old or ill pet, as they might make more frequent claims.

It is important to choose the pet insurance policy that suits your pocket as well as your pet’s lifestyle.

People use these types of protection in the event that the pet runs off into the woods or chases one cat too many into an area that they are not familiar with. The risks of not finding the pet once they’re lost is severe: very few animal organisations have the capacity to house and feed lost pets who have been found.

Even pets that do not ever venture outside need protection: there are people who steal animals and there’s always the possibility of an emergency arising. So that’s why pet identification is important.

Some of these identification options are digital and some are analogue. This means that there is plenty of choice: people can use the option that they feel most comfortable with using. Not everyone feels confident enough to use pet identification that uses modern technology. And some people prefer using modern technology instead.

Another way of differentiating between identification options is to look at the permanence of the solution. How often do you want to buy a new pet ID solution? Is this something you want to utilize as a fashion accessory or are you happy to implant one device into the pet’s skin and be done with it for the next decade?

The various options give much choice, though it is sometimes a good idea to use a combination: this ensures that at least one other option be available to rescue workers should the other ID fail.

License tag: The city assigns a number to your pet on their database and they attach a tag to the pet’s collar.

Tattoo: Tattoos are a visible identification method and the tattoo markings are generally on an ear.

Microchip: This is one of the newer identification options and can be painlessly implanted under the pet’s skin. The chip is approximately the size of a grain of rice.

Your pets need the best quality food you can afford. Choose pet food from quality pet stores and be watchful of their fat and carbohydrate consumption. Don’t give them chicken or pork bones and throw away grease drippings. Neither humans nor animals should eat too much saturated fat.

Your pet needs and enjoys exercise as much as we need and enjoy it. Get a leash – for your pet – and get yourself some good running shoes. That’s all you need – besides the obligatory hat and sunscreen – to take Fluffy out for a walk. Try to do this 5 times a week if at all possible. You may even want to take some toys along with you.

Take your pet to the local vet for prompt checkups. Young pets only really need yearly exams; older pets need to see a vet twice a year to prevent certain illnesses. Also send your older pet to have laboratory work done on. Do this at least once a year. Indoor pets may not be exposed to as many germs as pets who are outside all day but they can still be susceptible to diseases. So remember to vaccinate.

You probably don’t want any extra cats or dogs running around demanding care, attention and food. So have your pet spayed or neutered. This not only helps to prevent unnecessary little ones, it also helps to prevent multiple tumours and infections. Spaying or neutering animals help to reduce their fighting instinct and will help to make them stay put.

Your pet’s dental health is as important as their other health aspects – this is one of the most serious pet killers and it is a pity that not enough pet owners know about this. Keep your pet’s mouth clean by brushing the teeth: mouth infections can end up poisoning the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Keep your pet’s coat glossy and neat by grooming it regularly. Your pet will enjoy the attention lavished on it and you’ll get an opportunity to look for anything irregular in the pet’s appearance: growths, pain in certain areas, or ear infections.

Obedience training is a god-send for both you and your pet: it could save their live. Some pets are hyper-active and could yank loose when you least expect it. By using the techniques from dog obedience ‘school’, you can regain control of the situation and prevent a lot of damage.