Have you wondered why it is becoming more and more difficult to afford vet visits? Median inflation-adjusted wages have been stagnant since 2000, with not much increase since at least 1967 (www.advisorperspectives.com/...). In contrast, veterinary expenses have followed the lead of medical expenses and increased by many multiples faster than inflation (www.washingtonpost.com/...). Add to this the difficulty of finding decent-paying jobs in later years (www.washingtonpost.com/...) and we have had a terrible storm of unaffordability for our pets. But they are family, and we continue to want to provide the best for them. So two Kossacks are coming to you together today and hoping those of you who have beaten the above odds can lend a hand.
Elena has two part-time jobs and is seeking more, but no offers yet adequate to do more than barely cover the bills with a tiny amount left over at the end of each month, all of which has gone to the vet lately. Oreo is a fragile diabetic who has had health problems recently. When her pets last needed flea treatments, the vet said no! No more credit with him. Now we’re very worried that Oreo is going to need his vet before our monthly pittance can pay off the current balance. So we would like to raise funds to pay off the vet bills from Oreo’s last crisis, whittled down to about $600 now, so that we can start with a clean slate, in case there is more need for vet services in our future. We will certainly pay it back or pay it forward once the job comes through that we know is out there waiting for us somewhere. If you would like to donate to the Oreo Veterinary Fund, please see how to donate to PayPal below. Thank you so much for your help!
Ramara is on Social Security, and was on SSDI for many years before that, which really doesn't allow much leeway for emergencies. If wages have stagnated, Social Security is no better. SS gave no COLA this year, yet her mortgage went up $15 and so have other bills. When she first started, money ran out in the middle of the month. Now she manages to live and even have an occasional lunch out or buy a book or rent a movie. But when emergencies hit, there is no reserve.
Ramara's disability is depression. For a few years she was too depressed to take care of a dog, and her son's mental illness made home too chaotic for one. She adopted a dog around the same time he moved out, some 10 years ago. Summer lived to be around twelve, and died a little over a year ago. She didn't get another dog until last October, wanting first to pay off Summer's final expenses. In late October, she found Missy at the county animal shelter. She was six years old, and gradually her personality began to come out. She was a real people dog, a real snuggler, which was nice because Summer had been a bit stand-offish. She burrowed under the covers with ramara at night, always eager to greet her when she came home.
In mid-March, Missy began having seizures. The vet stabilized her, but later that afternoon she began seizing again, and didn't stop. She ended up in the hospital for two days, before ramara made the heartbreaking decision that Missy needed to be put down. Even on heavy medications, she still twitched a little, and had not been able to stand up. They thought she had something serious like a brain tumor. It was very difficult, and ramara still misses her.
Between the two vets (and Care Credit, a high interest medical credit service), she owed over $2100. Kossacks were very generous then, and she has paid off close to $800 with everyone's help. But she is determined not to get another dog until this is paid off, or at least almost paid off. There is about $1300 to go. She misses having a pet companion terribly, but can't face the possibility of being stuck with another emergency while still paying for this one. To donate to the Missy Memorial Veterinary Fund, please see information below. Thank you!
How to Donate Using PayPal
Go to PayPal at www.paypal.com…If you do NOT log in, but hit “Send,” you get this screen. Fill in the email address and amount, click “Continue”
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You will then see this screen:
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Be sure to click on the LEFT, “This is to friends or family,” so that there is ZERO fee. This is the nicest thing about PayPal! Then follow instructions.
If you DO log in first, then hit “Send & Request,” you will see this screen:
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So again, click on the LEFT, "Send money to friends and family," so there is ZERO fee, and follow instructions.
And finally, please use Elena’s contractor partnership email address:
And/or Ramara’s email address:
If you would rather send a check by snail mail, please Kosmail us for mailing addresses. We and our once, present, and future pets thank you very much!