I still work part time at an emergency pet clinic. In that field you sometimes see things happen that shouldn’t, and people that do things to their pets that you almost can’t believe. Sometimes it’s easy to become a little cynical. (Thank goodness, I DO realize however, that there are MANY great owners out there who would give life and limb for their 4-legged kids).
Tonight my faith in humanity was restored. Not that it had been obliterated, but I have seen it limping a little, from time to time. So tonight, at our very busy clinic, I witnessed something I have only rarely seen, and may never see again.
A client who could not afford treatment for her pet was preparing to put her dog to sleep. She was absolutely heartbroken. Inconsolable. She was so in love with this dog, and she felt horrible that she couldn’t afford the treatment that was so urgently needed.
She was in the waiting room struggling to pull herself together, amidst quite a few others who were somewhere in the mid-treatment stage with their own pets. A woman quietly approached her and told her that she would pay the bill for whatever the dog needed. No questions asked.
The bill was MANY hundreds of dollars. The woman simply said, - “I know how it is to have a sick pet. They’re like family”. She had just learned that her own dog had come through a pretty serious surgery, and was doing well. Perhaps she had made a deal with God. You know, those deals we all make when we’re in a desperate situation. You let me have this now, and I’ll be good for the rest of my life, (or any number of similar scenarios). Or maybe she was just an extremely empathetic and generous person.
I don’t know why she did it, but at any rate, tonight my faith was restored. And it feels really good. Whatever the reason for her deed, she totally made my day. In fact, I think she made my week. I really don’t know how long I will be thinking about that act of incredible kindness; for at least a little while I hope. I think acts such as that deserve some recognition, and so I hope I think of her for a long, long time!
Tags: dog, emergency pet clinic
What a beautiful story. See, I think I also became cynical working at the ER. Towards the end, I was feeling overwhelmed by all the sad cases, many that could have been prevented. I only saw one case in my 5-1/2 years there when someone in the lobby offered to help a grieving owner, but they didn’t offer to pay the whole bill! I’m glad you were able to witness kindness of that magnitude. That should keep you going for a while.
Thanks for the comment Gail. I think it will!!!