"Very few people have $3000 lying around so it's very common for people to euthanise their pet because they didn't have that money or they don't have insurance."
Dr Vigeant said she was a big advocate for pet owners getting insurance so they didn't have to choose between a big lump sum of money or their pet's life.
There are three main providers of pet insurance in New Zealand: Southern Cross, Petplan and Pet-n-sur.
Petplan has policies for cats from $21.91 per month for cats and $39.17 for dogs while Pet-n-sur offers plans for cats from $28.22 a month and $35.66 for dogs.
More expensive policies cover things such as owners having to cancel a planned holiday because a pet is ill.
Research conducted by Southern Cross Pet Insurance found more than 40 per cent of dog owners and about one in three cat owners spend $500 or more a year on their pets and one in five said they didn't have a limit on what they would pay for a major operation before considering euthanising their animal.
This year, Southern Cross Pet Insurance received more than 10,000 claims and paid out more than $3 million in claims.
Some of the more unusual claims from last year included:
• One English bull terrier ran into a ranch slider and required stitches.
• After falling into a pot of acrylic paint, a Birman cat decided to try and clean herself. She ended up being sedated and shaved.
• In a bid to return a stick from the sea, a Staffordshire bull terrier swallowed a large amount of sea water. This required a vet to aspirate the fluid in her lungs and air in her stomach.
• A thirsty Tibetan terrier cross decided to get in on the action when its owner's glass of wine fell and smashed. This resulted in a vet visit to remove glass from her mouth.
• One cat found his left hind paw caught in a hinged toilet seat, resulting in a swollen foot and a number of open wounds.
Cost of treatment for pets
Recent claims paid by Petplan Insurance
• Poodle, fractured spine: $8010
• Griffon, foreign body: $7707
• Golden retriever, cruciate rupture (torn knee ligament): $1987
• Shih tzu, lameness: $4986
• Domestic shorthair, cat fight: $898
Most expensive claims at Southern Cross:
Dogs
• Pericardial effusion: $9232
• Chylothorax: $8864
• Spinal (vertebral column) disorder: $7772
• Cruciate ligament rupture: $7674
• Fracture: $7465
Cats
• Traumatic injury (hit by car): $8461
• Peritonitis: $5236
• Renal (kidney) disorder: $5000
• Peritonitis: $4819
• Bite injury (dog attack): $4762
(For 2015 financial year)
Adopt Me: Mr Nibbles
Village Number: 275945
Age: Adult
Breed: Crossbreed
Gender: Male
Suitable for kids? Come and have a chat to staff.
Other pets? Could be bonded with a desexed female.
About: Mr Nibbles had been seen hopping about the neighbourhood for the past three weeks, having either escaped from his previous home or perhaps having been let free. Domesticated rabbits do not fare well on their own in the wild, so thankfully he made his way to the SPCA.
Mr Nibbles is very smart. He will hop up to you to say hello. He's a very cool and confident chap and any bunny enthusiast would love him.
Website: Go to spcaauckland.org.nz/adopt/small-animals/nibbles/
