If there is one thing I’m certain of, animal emergencies almost always occur one minute before the vet closes OR over the weekend. This weekend, our dog sitter V was across the street watching puppy Charlie. Charlie ended up getting sick and needed to go to the vet. The regular vet was closing and thought he should go to the emergency vet. Off we went.
While in the emergency vet waiting room, I was reminded how much I love those who love animals. I go to the human doctor a lot, and I can assure you that there is very little talking that occurs in the waiting room among patients. If I asked someone why they were there they’d prob tell me to eff off, stand up and move seats. That is not the case at the vet, there is an immediate bond, in fact the bond is so strong that it forms before you even arrive.
We were in the waiting room for 20 minutes.
- I spoke to the owner of a sweet-faced lab who had stopped eating. She had rescued him. She lives one mile from me. There is a chance we’ll be on each others Christmas cards list moving forward.
- There was a guy with a cat emergency. Despite not loving cats, he needed a hug, so he got one.
- The owners of a very sick bloodhound told me stories of previous bloat and the challenges of owning a giant breed dog. Despite countless emergencies, they wouldn’t have it any other way — this one was in fact their third of the breed!
- We sat by as an elderly woman was told it might be time to think about what her 16-year-old cat’s future holds. The woman was going to go home that weekend, with her cat, and decided.
We showed each other photos, we got each other through the time in the waiting room. We shared a language, of love.
Puppy Charlie spent the night at the ER and is back at home with his family. We are hoping the other animals are too!
You are totally right! I think animal ownership in general…responsible animal ownership is a great big welcoming club and we all automatically support each other.
I love our club!!!
1. You are so right about everything happening just as the vet closes or on the weekend.
2. I find that the emergency vet clinic is much more friendly than our normal vet. It must have something to do with everyone being in the same predicament and finding similar ground.
3. I have been on the receiving end of a hug while in the emergency clinic. It was much needed at the time, but had this happened in a regular human doctor waiting room I probably would have been creeped out
4. A guy I spoke with during my last visit at the ER knows some of my dog training friends and actually contacted one of them about a week later to see how Lainey was doing.
I’m convinced the most loving and caring people in the world are those who have a love for animals.
Amen sister!!! Amen!!!
Lily prefers to have her veterinary emergencies on HOLIDAY weekends. She’s thoughtful like that.
Glad puppy Charlie is okay 🙂
That is so sweet of her, to mark holidays like that for you!
So very true that animal lovers are a different breed (no pun intended!) I’ve spent way too much time in both ER vets & regular vets offices. I believe I’ve shared more tears with them than I have with my entire family and friend population. They get it! We all understand the pain of losing one of our best friends and that just makes for a tighter bond between us. Besides, you’re not nearly as likely to find a serial killer at the vet vs the ER of ANY hospital! 🙂
Yes!!! Although… you might find the mother of a canine serial killer of frogs!
Pet owners are some of the best people I know which is one of the reasons why I like working in the field I do and blogging!