WERRIBEE pensioner Barbara Forder has always put her beloved poodle Buffy first.
Buffy has been Mrs Forder’s companion for 15 years, so when she realised that she needed to have teeth removed she resolved to cut back on the amount of food she bought so she could pay the vet bills.
Thankfully, Mrs Forder was put in touch with the Pet Crisis Medical Fund – a charity that helps pensioners cover vet expenses.
The charity provided Mrs Forder with $300 and help in arranging for Buffy to visit a vet in Bendigo, where Mrs Forder used to live.
“She had to have 17 teeth out and there is no way I could have afforded to pay for that but she really needed to have them seen to,” Mrs Forder says.
“She has had pancreatitis over the years and tummy upsets because of problems with her teeth, so I knew I had to do something to help her.
“If things had got worse I might have had to have her euthanased, which is terrible.”
Mrs Forder says that without Buffy and her other dog Emma she would be lost.
“For people who live on their own, [their dogs] are the only love and companionship that they get.”
Pet Crisis Medical Fund founder Jennifer Hunt says Mrs Forder’s experience is similar to that of many other pensioners.
The fund has helped about 30 pet owners over the past 18 months. Details: petmedicalcrisisfund.com.au
