Aussie couple shocked over $37,000 vet bill to save pet dog
The couple were blindsided by the final price of the bill to save their French bulldog.
A recent trip to an emergency veterinary clinic has cost a Sydney couple $37,000 in medical bills to save their French bulldog's life, A Current Affair reports.
On Easter Saturday, Daniele and Sabrina noticed their dog's back legs became "wobbly" and rushed their beloved Matisse to their local vet but were sent home, prompting a visit to the Sydney Veterinary Emergency and Specialists.
"We were just told to sign these documents and leave them a $3,000 deposit because Matisse was going to have to be kept in there overnight to stabilise her," Sabrina said.
However, with a subsequent surgery as well as scans, tests, medications and constant monitoring from staff over a six-day period, the medical fees began to mount, with the steep final cost coming as a complete shock to the couple.
"It's a massive, massive bill so we're just asking them to reconsider," Daniele said, explaining the couple had to quickly find a large portion of the bill to get Matisse home as they did not have pet insurance.
Aussies dig deep to keep beloved pets
Despite the rising cost of living forcing many Aussies to tighten their spending habits, a recent report from Finder suggests many Aussies share Daniele and Sabrina's willingness to spend thousands on their pet.
On average, dog owners are willing to spend over $3,500 toward medical bills before they would consider putting their dog down, with 17 per cent of respondents in the national survey admitting they would cough up more than $10,000.
Cat owners are willing to spend $1,000 less compared to dogs, content with copping medical fees of over $2,600 before considering parting ways, with one Sydney woman starting a GoFundMe page to cover over $20,000 of vet bills to keep her feline companion.
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Sixty-three per cent of dog owners and 60 per cent of cat owners consider their pet part of the family according to a survey by Animal Medicines Australia, which may indicate why Aussies will face steep financial loss to ensure their pet's health.
"People want human equivalent care for their animals," veterinary surgeon Dr Robert Zammit told A Current Affair.
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