Idiots on Parade

[patgund]

*faceplant*

Two fined for 'fixing' cat's leg

"A COUPLE who tried to fix their cat's broken leg with lollipop sticks and parcel tape have been ordered to pay £1,400 in fines and costs by a court.

Miaow the cat had to have one of its back legs amputated because owners John and Shariefa England refused to pay for vets to treat their pet after a dog attack.

John England, of Beeston, Nottingham, then decided to treat the cat himself by taping two lollipop sticks to either side of the injured leg.

The leg became infected and later had to be amputated"

Comments

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

Deliberate cruel idiocy like that deserves a more appropriate punishment. Inflict similar injuries to the idiots leg (scaled up for size), strap a couple sticks to his leg and let him deal with that.

Devil's advocate

[peaseblossom03.livejournal.com]

I'm curious about the wording of "refused to pay for vets". I know there are vets who won't treat a cat--even in an emergency situation--without payment in full up front. It could be that they couldn't, and thus, well, refused.

I also know, though, that there are alternatives. I had a cat whose tail and pelvis were badly injured when he was hit by a car, and (because these things always seem to happen on the weekend) I took him to the only open vet clinic, an emergency clinic two towns away. They took one look at him and said that they'll have to do xrays and surgery to amputate his tail, and that's when I saw the "payment in cash up front" sign. I asked if there's any sign of infection. They said no. I said give me back my cat, I'm taking him to his regular vet on Monday for a second opinion. And I did. Just as an epilogue, his tail didn't need to be amputated at all. Some kitty painkillers and kitty steroids and a month of physical therapy, and he had full use of it back.

Now I'm of the opinion that if you can't afford a regular vet, you can't afford a pet (just the same as if you can't afford cat food!), but in the case of an emergency-pay-up-front unexpected situation, I can see how there'd be another side to it.