How much would you pay to save a life?

United States
January 26, 2008 10:03pm CST
A few weeks ago, my friend was out of town visiting her father. I was taking care of her kitties for her while she was away. One morning I went over on my way home from work, a little after 7am, to check on them. She was out of kitty litter. I thought that was strange because she is usually prepared for long absenses like this. So I decided to run to Walmart to buy some more. Well... as I drove a zig zag course through the neighborhood to get to the Walmart close to her house, I passed a small black body lying in the gutter. I of course try to look away so I don't have to deal with the death of someone who a careless driver left behind. But as I passed, he looked up at me with sad brown eyes. I stopped. I watched in my mirror to see if he would get up, maybe he was just hanging out. But he layed there. So I backed up and got out to see. Poor little guy was laying there covered in blood and shivering (is was like 20 degrees or colder and he was on cold concrete!). I wasn't sure what to do... we was a small dog. I am a kitty person and don't have much experience with dogs. But I knew I couldn't leave him there to die. So I scooped him up into a box and we went to the nearest vet. They said he had been attacked by a larger dog, not hit by a car. Which made sense because there was blood all over the sidewalk. So some big mean dog grabbed him and flopped him around, then dropped him back down where I guess he rolled off the sidewalk to lay shivering. He was in shock and probably would have died soon. THey put him in an incubator to try to warm him up and started treating him for shock. Since I had found him... there was concern about how far they should go to save him, and how much I'd be willing to pay. He was given Morphine for pain in addition to the treatments for shock. He had X-rays and all kinds of other stuff. And one punture wound had ripped deep into his side and his little intestins were poking out. They felt he needed emergency hernia surgery, but needed to get him stabalized first. So they said the bill could be as much as $600. I told them to do whatever they had to do (as long as they allowed me to make a payment plan... I have been going there a while, so they said it wouldn't be a problem). His back end wasn't working, so they worried about paralysis and if the surgery would be worth it etc. if he had spinal problems and would never walk or potty on his own again. So what would you have done??
4 people like this
8 responses
@lightningd (1039)
• United States
27 Jan 08
I imagine I would probably go ahead and try to save his life. But I would also go back and canvas the neighborhood, see if I could locate the owner of the dog, as well as the dog that attacked him. Maybe get something worked out with the owners. If he wasn't claimed, I'd ask the vet to find him a home if possible. My vet does that type of thing.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Apr 09
Well, I had inteneded to go look for a sign for a missing dog or something. But I never did. He was in the hospital a week. When they said I could pick him up, I wasn't sure what to do with him. They let me write a series of postdated checks to cover the cost and I took him home. All has worked out and I still have him. SOme of my cats love him, others hate him. I'm just glad I saved him!! His name is Tater Tot, since some other dog thought he looked like a snack.
• United States
16 Apr 09
Yes he is a good boy. His back right leg is still a problem. SOmetimes he doesn't use it and draggs it around. He limps a lot on it, but other than that, all is well. Except that he's getting to be a bit thicker than he should.
• United States
16 Apr 09
I pulled this discussion out of the basement and dusted it off. I wanted it to get a bit more attention.
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
16 Apr 09
If you stopped, than you knew you were going to do whatever to help him. I can't see picking him up and then deciding to not give him the treatment he needed.
1 person likes this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
27 Jan 08
Oh what a sad and horrifying thing for this poor dog but what a blessing he was for you to stop and help him. I know I would have stopped right off and tried to help but to be honest with my finacial situation the way it is there is no way I could take on the resposibility of a $600 vet bill as much as I would want to. I would cry alot and see if I could find any agencies to help with the bill.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Apr 09
I had a good thing going with that vet and could always write post-dated checks. So I split the bill up over 6 of my pay-days. They didn't like dragging it out that far, but I asked them if it was better that I'm willing to pay it, since he wasn't even my dog, or if I should just leave him. They reluctantly agreed.
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
1 Feb 08
This is a tough one for me to answer. If it was my own animal, I would of gone to great lengths to save him/her being I'm on a permanent payment plan with my vet. But, being not my animal and the injuries are serious with a possible bad outcome, not sure what I would do. This is one of those "wait and see" instances where I would have to decide when/if I am ever in this type of situation.
1 person likes this
@Loen210 (1540)
• United States
20 Feb 08
Oh poor, poor guy. Thank goodness that you took him under your wing. We humans feel pain. So do animals. I would have done as you did. It's been several weeks, I see. How did things turn out? I hope he healed well, and the owners were found. Let us know! Thanks for helping him.
1 person likes this
• China
14 Apr 09
It is quite moving and I realize the humanistic power of the western culture. To be good is quite easy for your own sake, but it is a different matter when it comes to ensure others to be good, esp. the animals.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
29 Jan 08
This is a very difficult question as I am an animal lover too, & would never want to see an animal suffer. For a start, I certainly would rescue an injured animal & take it to the vet. Paying the bill is another question, because badly injured animals can cost thousands to hospitalise & treat. Not only could I not pay that, I wouldn't be able to keep the dog after. What I believe our vets do, if an injured animal is brought in my a stranger, is do some initial treatment to stop pain. They then make an effort to find he owner. I think if the owner is not found by a certain time, the animal is put down. I know that sounds terrible, but what else can be done. What you have domne is amazing.
• United States
12 Apr 09
OK you have just become my hero. I love animals and when I mean love I mean really really. I will pick up a stray in a second or if I can't take it home I will buy it food. If I see an animal in distress I feel this need to help. If I would have found the dog I would have to take him to a vet especially if I could see he was still alive. There is no way I could just let it die. I would worry about how to come up with the money later but I would do it. Just means I get me a new loving baby to shower attention on. YOU ARE AWESOME!