A yellow Labrador retriever named Dakota has been credited with saving the life of his Yorkie buddy, Cory, in Idaho this week.
According to pet owner Steve Groves, Dakota ran into an area where he spotted a hawk flying overhead on Tuesday morning, He realized Cory was nowhere to be found on his 10-acre property, and seconds later, the hawk flew away and both dogs returned home.
Cory, the Yorkshire terrier, had cuts on both sides of his body, indicating a large bird had swooped down to try and make a meal of him. He received immediate veterinary care and stitches to stop the bleeding.
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As someone who loves to travel, I often tell myself I’m going to start a special savings account. I’ll save a few bucks every week and before long, I’ll have enough to take an amazing vacation somewhere exotic.
Like many people, though, I haven’t actually started that savings account. And even if I did, there’s no guarantee it wouldn’t end up going toward car repairs, medical bills or other emergencies (water leaking through the kitchen ceiling, anyone?)
Because I can’t save for a fun vacation, I know I won’t have the discipline to save for un-fun veterinary bills. And I don’t think I’m alone– this is why pet insurance exists.
Can You Save Fast Enough?
Financial advisers sometimes recommend savings accounts instead of pet insurance. They argue that you can put a little away each month in anticipation of future vet bills. In theory, that sounds okay. But what if your “future” vet bill comes next week, or even a year from now? Will your savings account hold enough to cover it?
Even if you’re putting around $20 into the account each month, (which is more than the approximate cost of a pet insurance plan, monthly) basic math exposes the real weaknesses of pet health savings accounts. If your pet gets sick or injured two months in, you’ll only have around $40 at your disposal.
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Every month, we get a number of requests from people looking for pet liability insurance. Some pet owners aren’t sure how that differs from what we offer, so here’s a quick comparison:
• Pets Best Insurance plans help pay the vet bills when your pet is sick or injured.
• Pet liability insurance, sometimes called “dog bite insurance”, protects the pet owner in case their dog injures a non-direct family member.
Both types of insurance can provide peace of mind and financial assistance, and pet health insurance is a great idea for all pets, regardless of age or breed. But what about liability insurance? We worked with our friends at XINSURANCE to identify the top 3 reasons you may need pet liability insurance.
1. Your dog has a history of injuring people, even accidentally
Dog liability insurance can provide coverage in case someone is bitten, scratched, knocked over, or otherwise injured by your dog.
2. Your homeowners insurance excludes your dog’s breed
While most homeowners and renters insurance policies include animal liability, according to XINSURANCE, most of those plans also have breed restrictions. The breeds most commonly excluded from coverage are: bully breeds, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds and Akitas.
Even if your dog isn’t on that list, double-check with your insurance provider to ensure you would be covered if your dog caused injury.
3. Your landlord or state law requires it
If your landlord requires liability insurance, you’ll usually have to provide proof of insurance before signing a lease or moving in. Your landlord will need to be added as an insured party, and XINSURANCE can do so at no additional cost.
If your state requires liability insurance, you may not to have carry proof. But if your dog injures someone, you’ll be personally responsible for related medical and legal bills, in addition to fines and other legal ramifications of not having been insured.
Get a quote for an XINSURANCE animal liability policy, available in all U.S. states except NY.
My Vet’s the Best is back for 2013! The team at Pets Best Insurance is excited to offer a third year of this hugely popular promotion that rewards four of the best veterinarians with $1,000 each to treat needy pets.
If you nominated your vet in a past year, thank you. And please nominate him or her again, as we start with a clean slate each January. Four times in 2013, we’ll choose six finalists and invite the public to vote and choose the big winner. In addition to the vet prize, each winning nominator will receive $200.
Nominations don’t have to be lengthy if they include the right details. Here are a few tips that may help your story rise to the top:
1. Tell us how your vet helped your pet, specifically.
Readers may be more likely to connect with personal stories, so focus on a specific incident that really made a difference in the life of you and your pet.
2. Tell us how your vet goes above and beyond.
By nature, veterinarians tend to be generous individuals who offer extended office hours and return phone calls on weekends. In addition to services like this, how else does your vet go the extra mile?
3. Tell us about any pet-related organization your vet supports.
If your veterinarian volunteers at a shelter or trains K9 police dogs, for example, be sure to include those details. We want to be sure we recognize all the efforts of your vet – not just what happens during office hours.
And remember, you don’t have to be a Pets Best Insurance customer to participate. Nominate your vet today and watch for finalist announcements and voting periods in April, July, October and January!
Our winter 2012 My Vet’s the Best finalists have been chosen! Read their stories and vote daily through February 11th and help decide who wins $1,000 to treat needy pets. The nominator will also win a $200 cash prize.
In alphabetical order, the finalists are:
Dr. Georgia Maureen Bushnell of Homestead, FL
Dr. Lori Cabell of Norristown, PA
Dr. Helen Campbell of Florence, NJ
Dr. Dave Hallstrom of Edina, MN
Dr. Nancy Matthews of Valley Center, CA
Dr. Linda Steelman of Las Vegas, NV
Four times per year, Pets Best Insurance awards $1,000 to a winning veterinarian to treat needy pets, and $200 cash prizes to the pet owners who shared their winning stories. Hundreds of vets are nominated each quarter, complete with heartwarming and sometimes harrowing stories, and thousands of votes are cast.
Make sure your voice is heard! Read about our winter 2012 finalists, then vote today and every day through February 11th, 2013. You can also nominate your vet in My Vet’s the Best 2013. You don’t need to be a Pets Best Insurance customer to participate, and you can read the Official Rules here.
