Jazz and me- photo belongs to Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein
This past Friday afternoon, I was in a panic over what I may have inadvertently done to my best friend, Jazz.
I had applied a pain patch to my skin for an affliction I’ve had for over five years. My experience using these prescription and over-the-counter patches has me washing my hands thoroughly after applying one to my skin. I maintained my same ritual on Friday after covering myself with one of these patches.
Unfortunately, the rectangular patch started to curl. I attempted to fix the problem a few times by repeatedly applying pressure. In the interim, I had given Jazz his daily medicines. Jazz refuses to ingest his meds with food. He is just too smart; he will and does spit out the pills every time. The only option remaining is to use my fingers to place them on the back of his tongue, holding his mouth shut causing him to swallow them.
After doing this, I honestly couldn’t remember if I washed my hands after trying to get the patch to adhere to my skin after problems arose with it. It is so second nature for me to wash my hands but I couldn’t recall with 100% certainty.
I called the number on the back of the patch. They couldn’t provide an answer to my question to see if the ingredients were dangerous to my dog if he did ingest them due to my alleged negligence. I was told to call the ASPCA Poison Control Center Hotline.
I called my own veterinarian first. After being put on hold to talk to a vet, they, too, didn’t have an answer and was told to call the same hotline.
My next call was to the hotline. Imagine my surprise was when an automated response tells you that you will need a credit card to pay a fee of $65.00 consultation fee.
I sat there in amazement! Did I hear this correctly? For them to talk to me, I must have my credit card handy (that’s the only way in which you can pay for their “service.”) to possibly hear my dog was just fine.
I not only sat there in amazement, I found this to be incredulous and suspicious.
Why suspicious? Well, let’s take a look at the ASPCA. It is one of Forbe’s Top 100 Charitable Organizations that had a revenue of $148 million in 2012 according to Forbes magazine, a magazine that is published biweekly and known for listing and ranking the world’s top richest Americans and companies.
The ASPCA is not to be confused with your local SPCA. The ASPCA is located in New York and is known for its fundraising efforts by showcasing images of animals that need YOUR help! Their efforts mimic the HSUS’s fundraising tactics. Or is it the other way around?
Either way, neither of these large NONPROFIT organizations help much at the local level giving very little monetary donations to help their local SPCA’s or humane societies. The local groups are struggling to make ends meet while the ASPCA and the HSUS are multi-million dollar businesses.
The ASPCA spent over $19 million on advertising in 2009! That number has definitely increased since then.
Some say the reason for the charge is that the hotline is not funded by the government. I find an organization who is taking in over $200 million a year by now shouldn’t be charging a fee to help people who are obviously in a serious situtaion with an animal.
I thought the purpose of nonprofits was to help those in times of need and not to profit from someone’s crisis.
What if you’re in an area where you don’t have your credit card handy? How does or would the ASPCA handle that situation?
I don’t know since I refused to pay their fee and will never give them a penny for trying to rip off the very people who have supported them. One may argue the fee is used to pay for the expert knowledge from their experts. I believe the donations they receive will more than cover this expense. What if no expertise required for a call to their hotline?
I researched the ingredients of the patch myself. I did this repeatedly from multiple sources. Because I read the amount of ingredients in my patch didn’t compare to the toxicity levels that could cause potential problems, I felt comfortable for my husband and me to monitor Jazz for any symptoms or signs which would require an immediate trip to the vet or to our local animal ER.
In the end, Jazz was fine. He didn’t require medical attention.
What would you do if you found yourself in a similar predicament? Would you pay the $65 consultation fee?
Are they freaking kidding? They are so filthy rich! I didn’t know this. Thanks for sharing this piece of info. Good blog. Glad Jazz is ok.
The same happened to me. I don’t know if it was the ASPCA, or a poison control center for humans; but I was asked for my credit card to be charged for a fifty dollar fee. I don’t have a credit card. One of my dogs had eaten a packet of d-com. You can imagine my panic. I called the vet back and they told me to pour two tablespoons of hydrogen-peroxide down his throat. He promptly threw up the d-con, thank heavens. We put him on vitamin k and he was fine.
I am so glad your dog is okay, Candy. I feel it’s wrong to ask for such a large donation when you are seeking help for a medical emergency for your beloved pet. There are still some vets who will help us and you are proof of that.
I would use if no one else could help my oog. The cost is wrong but I’d want my dog to be ok.