We have been using the same Vet for many years. He does small animals as well as farm animals which is very helpful to us. He has come to our house 5 times over the years to help our dogs go to Rainbow bridge...we always get a lovely "Sympathy" card with a donation sent in the animals name to Guelph University/animal science department.
Today I received the bill for Trixie's euthanasia ($277 for him being here all of 15 mins) but that is not the point....NO card saying sorry for your loss, NO donation in her name...only "PIG" euthanasia. He knows what our pigs mean to us & saw our overwhelming grief at the loss of Trixie but she is only a "PIG"...not worthy of sympathy like a dog or cat.
I called to pay the bill over the phone & so wanted to say something but knew I would be perceived as being the "crazy pig lady"...mostly we can't make an enemy of this vet as they are few & far between, the ones that will even treat pigs.
It just saddens me to know that so many other people do not find the specialness (is that a word?!) in these amazing animals!
Trixie deserved a sympathy card & donation in her name...damn it , I will send one myself. Why am I crying again....
I hear and feel your pain Susan. Your darn right she deserved everything you said here and more ! I have never got a card from any of the livestock vets i have used nwo that you mentiuon it and yet get them from the small animal clinics too.
ReplyDeleteWhen i ws on tv a bazillion years ago and i got three emails about in 24 hours and none of them from B.C. I creid not for me but for them. That of all the people in the world who saw it that no one cared about them from here. Adn in 24 hours only 3 wrote.. had it been a cat/dog rescue they would of received no odubt 20,000 in donations.
Do not cry , Trixie and others like her are our warriors as we collectively take these baby steps to move the mountains for change.
That is very sad, but I can't say it surprises me. Vets aren't often blessed in bedside manner, and he is definitely at the top of the list.
ReplyDeleteI do know vets that would have treated Trixie's passing with as much respect and grief as any other animal but they are sadly few and far between.