Learning from our loss

Today our baby sleeps in the cold ground. He was our littlest, last and only baby, and now he is gone. We took him to an emergency center three weeks ago, and they would not treat him because we were poor.

Our baby was not a human baby; God did not bless us with human children, but with a little black Pug. My wife begged them to treat him, even offering her diamond engagement ring (one of our few things of value). We gave them all the money we had, and it still wasn’t enough.

Our regular doctor treated him on Monday, but he died two weeks later anyway. It probably wasn’t their fault, after all. But they took all we had, and we lost all we had. Our doctor said it was probably cancer.

To all of you celebrities and animal lovers, why don’t you fund an emergency center where poor people can get help for their babies? There are foundations for homeless pets, the pound is now run by the Humane Society, but there is no haven for sick animals whose humans can’t afford to pay the extreme rates of emergency clinics. You shouldn’t need to be rich to save your pet.

It probably wasn’t their fault, after all, our doctor tells me. But our baby sleeps in the cold ground today, and they would not help because we couldn’t pay.

— Don Netherton
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.