Last weekend when I was in New Orleans I left my puppy with the breeder, who lives nearby. There he played with his sister and mother in the same environment where he spent the first 8 weeks of his life under the constant watchful eye of an expert on his family and breed.

I dropped him off Wednesday evening and picked him up Sunday evening. They didn’t ask me to pay anything – they’d probably have paid me to let them keep him rather than board him – but I left $60 anyway. For 4 days and nights I figured that was the least I could do. Boarding him anywhere else would probably have been twice that.

This past weekend the breeder was out of town, so I left him with a doggie daycare/hotel/spa here in Dallas. Yes, you read that right – this place offers daytime socialization and/or overnight care to dogs and even phrases their services in hotel and spa terms. You can even check in and watch your pooch any time on webcams they have stashed around the place. It’s attached to and affiliated with a vet so presumably any medical issues can and would be taken care of promptly and professionally.

I dropped him on Thursday morning and picked him up Monday morning. He looked so happy and fluffy and like he’d been cleaned (even though I’d expressly declined any “spa services”). The total bill? Only $56!!

I was shocked; I swear I’d read online that their cheapest room was $32 a night – and my dog had to have special attention and be sequestered on the clinic side because he hasn’t had his final round of vaccinnations yet. I’d read a Yelp review where a girl raved about her surprisingly low bill at this place, but I figured she was just uninformed going in.

The only thing I can think of is that the $32 per night included doggie daycare where the dogs all socialize, in which my puppy couldn’t participate. But when the clerk asked if I wanted a detailed receipt I said “no” and quickly signed the one she’d given me. I didn’t want her to find a mistake!

A reader recently asked me if I am planning to purchase health insurance for my new puppy. My answer? Absolutely not!

Our country’s health insurance situation is ridiculous enough without throwing animals into the mix, in my opinion.

I am prepared to pay for an annual vet visit and basic preventative care such as flea and heart worm medication, but if my pet gets cancer or gets hit by a car then I will either foot the bill myself for treatment (unlikely, but it’s an option), or I’ll pay to have him put down.

I just don’t see the point of health insurance for pets – but then again I also don’t really know what ongoing pet health costs are. I also don’t have a clue what the costs or benefits of animal health insurance specifically are.

But I guess I don’t really care enough to find out. I have to draw the line on making “educated” consumer choices somewhere. You can’t thoroughly research and evaluate all the options for everything.

Do any of you have pet health insurance or feel that it is worth considering?