The Real Cost of Loving Animals

Loving them is the easy part. Planning for the unexpected matters too.

July 19, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

🐕 🐾🐶 Hey babes — Happy Sunday!

If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know that my life revolves around animals.

Between the horses and my four dogs, there is always someone to feed, cuddle, clean up after, worry about, or rearrange my entire day for. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

They bring so much joy, companionship, and purpose into my life.

But there is one part of loving animals that is decidedly less glamorous: the vet bills.

Over the past few months, caring for my 13-year-old Chihuahua, Catalina, through kidney disease has been one of the clearest reminders that veterinary care can become incredibly expensive, often without warning.

Today, I wanted to share something I wish I had thought about much earlier: pet insurance.

👇 Scroll down for the lesson Catalina taught me—and why I’m approaching things differently with my younger dogs.

Cheers & martinis!
Frances
@GalOffDuty

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🐕 🐾🐶 The Real Cost of Loving Animals

Fred, Simon, and Larry joined by the boss, Catalina

When your pet is sick, you do not stop to calculate what every test, medication, or overnight stay might cost.

You are not thinking about spreadsheets or budgets.

You just want to give them every possible chance.

That has certainly been true with Catalina. Caring for her through kidney disease has been emotional, exhausting, and deeply clarifying. It has reminded me how quickly routine appointments can become bloodwork, additional testing, medication, hospitalization, and ongoing care.

And when it is an animal you love, every decision feels personal.

Looking back, I wish I had considered pet insurance much earlier.

Why I Believe It Is Worth Considering

For a new puppy or young dog, I truly believe pet insurance can be one of the smartest investments you make.

Not because you expect something terrible to happen, but because life with animals is unpredictable. They eat things they should not. They develop mysterious symptoms at the least convenient moment. They somehow sense when it is a holiday weekend and every regular vet office is closed.

A good policy can give you more freedom to focus on your pet’s care instead of immediately worrying about whether you can afford the next test, treatment, hospitalization, or medication.

That peace of mind matters.

Of course, every policy is different. Coverage, exclusions, deductibles, reimbursement structures, waiting periods, and pre-existing-condition rules can vary, so it is important to read the details carefully and understand exactly what you are purchasing.

But after everything we have experienced with Cata, I have decided to insure my younger dogs through Trupanion.

This is not sponsored. It is simply the decision that feels right for me after living through the reality of long-term veterinary care.

🤍 This Week’s Gal Off Duty

Our pets give us unconditional love every single day.

Planning for their future is one of the greatest ways we can love them back.

Whether you choose Trupanion or another provider, my advice is simple: look into pet insurance while your pets are still young and healthy.

It is one of those things you hope you will never need.

But if you do, you may be incredibly grateful it is there.

✨ Why It Works

✨ Veterinary medicine has advanced tremendously, giving our animals access to treatments and care that were not always possible. Those advances can also come with significant costs.
✨ Insurance may help you make medical decisions based on what is best for your pet, rather than only what fits into your budget at that moment.
✨ I hope I never need to use it for my younger dogs. But knowing it is there will give me tremendous peace of mind.

Here’s to giving our furry family members the healthiest, happiest lives possible—and loving them enough to plan for the difficult days, too.

Cheers & martinis,
Frances
@GalOffDuty

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