# Can I reasonably expect my apartment management to cover my vet bill? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445 "2016-08-30T00:01:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/21 "2016-08-30T17:00:16Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > That depends: Fahrenheit or Celsius? Or possibly floor angle. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/22 "2016-08-30T17:10:16Z")
How old are your cats? 90F is not outside their ability to handle - though I set my a/c to 82F when away for my \>^…^\<. Yes they will become lethargic and eat and drink less, but so will people. This in itself is not a heath issue. Drinking less is a issue if they become dehydrated, but there is a easy test for that and you have not indicated that this is the case, nor have indicated things like panting, and just seems they have entered a lower metabolic state of rest to get by the hot temps. So I’m not sure there was even a actual problem, or just over-reaction on your part (which may be aggravated by the high temps and the lack of concern of your landlord - but not a case for being compensated). However the boarding rates seem very reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/23 "2016-08-30T17:49:43Z")
Does your vet’s office think the cats were in distress or needed to be boarded due to temperatures? If yes, you might have a case. If no, well, probably not. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/24 "2016-08-30T19:26:20Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Are you sure there’s anything wrong with your cats? As far as I know, most housecats are perfectly comfortable at 90 F, and simply get lazier than usual as the temperature goes up. They’re eating and drinking less because they’re moving less. Laying prostate on the kitchen floor is not exactly “suffering” for a cat. Maybe if they were elderly or had some other health problem it could be an issue. > > Wikipedia [says](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat): > _For instance, cats are able to tolerate quite high temperatures: Humans generally start to feel uncomfortable when their skin temperature passes about 38 °C (100 °F), but cats show no discomfort until their skin reaches around 52 °C (126 °F),[53]:46 and can tolerate temperatures of up to 56 °C (133 °F) if they have access to water.[63]_ I was thinking along these lines. I live in Florida and there’s dozens of random cats in my neighborhood who live outside without air conditioning. Big cats in the wild do not require air conditioning. You do not require air conditioning. I see no reason whatsoever, unless it was specifically spelled out in your lease, that your landlord/rental management company should have any obligation whatsoever to reimburse you for your choice to send your cats off to an air conditioned kitty hotel. While I applaud you as a pet owner ('cause I’d probably do the same thing), I do not advise you to attempt to recoup the costs for this choice. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/25 "2016-08-30T19:55:23Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/26 "2016-08-30T21:06:34Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I would think this is the sort of thing for which you have renter’s insurance. Sorry, but renter’s insurance is to replace possessions in case of a covered loss. It would no more cover pet boarding for loss of A/C than a homeowners policy would. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/27 "2016-08-30T21:13:39Z")
My understanding is that if the food in your refrigerator spoils due to a power outage, your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance _may_ reimburse you for the loss, and I would think that pet boarding fees might similarly be covered. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/28 "2016-08-31T13:05:40Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My understanding is that if the food in your refrigerator spoils due to a power outage, your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance _may_ reimburse you for the loss, and I would think that pet boarding fees might similarly be covered. Nope, no pet boarding coverage. I don’t even know of a rider you can get for that, though I suppose for enough money anything is possible. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/29 "2016-08-31T13:09:02Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Nope, no pet boarding coverage. I don’t even know of a rider you can get for that, though I suppose for enough money anything is possible. Which would completely defeat the purpose of trying to get reimbursement for boarding. Wouldn’t you spend so much on coverage that it would just be cheaper to pay the damn boarding bill? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/30 "2016-08-31T13:48:23Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My understanding is that if the food in your refrigerator spoils due to a power outage, your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance _may_ reimburse you for the loss, and I would think that pet boarding fees might similarly be covered. Even in that case, they’d only pay if the power outage is due to a covered event, like a storm knocking down the power lines. If your refrigerator just dies one day because it’s old, they won’t cover the food loss. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/31 "2016-08-31T13:50:52Z")
Which is why I used the word “may” and even italicized it for emphasis. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/32 "2016-08-31T14:31:28Z")
Maybe it’s kind of a cultural thing that varies around the U.S. … but I’m surprised at the cavalier attitudes about going without AC in the summer. Granted, I’m coming from a Louisiana perspective, but still – Pennsylvania is only several degrees cooler in the summers (not like afternoon highs in the low 70s or something). It’s hard for me to think that living in an apartment with an ambient indoor temperature in the 80s, for weeks on end, is reasonable - especially in newer construction that lacks high ceilings, transoms, large exterior windows, etc. to aid in cooling indoor space without AC. Down here, losing one’s central heat (which is standard even here - no furnaces or heating oil, though) is easily mitigated against – space heaters, even the cheapie ones from WalMart, do fine. Then again, on the cold end of the spectrum, New Orleans does have a pretty substantial advantage over Pennsylvania – dipping below 30 degrees here, even at night, is uncommon and never sustained for long. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/33 "2016-08-31T15:21:14Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Maybe it’s kind of a cultural thing that varies around the U.S. … but I’m surprised at the cavalier attitudes about going without AC in the summer. Maybe it’s because AC is a relatively recent invention. You don’t have to go back very far in human history before no one had air conditioning (though, as you correctly note, homes tended to be built in ways that were easier to keep cool back then). Many of us have lived in a time and place when home air conditioning was considered a luxury rather than a necessity, or at least have spent substantial time “roughing it” (e.g. at summer camp) in environments without AC. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/34 "2016-08-31T17:51:17Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Maybe it’s kind of a cultural thing that varies around the U.S. … but I’m surprised at the cavalier attitudes about going without AC in the summer. Granted, I’m coming from a Louisiana perspective, but still – Pennsylvania is only several degrees cooler in the summers (not like afternoon highs in the low 70s or something). It’s hard for me to think that living in an apartment with an ambient indoor temperature in the 80s, for weeks on end, is reasonable - especially in newer construction that lacks high ceilings, transoms, large exterior windows, etc. to aid in cooling indoor space without AC. I suspect a lot of it has to do with humidity. I live in Arizona where the outdoor temperature is over 100 in the summer for weeks on end, but I set my air conditioner for about 84° and my dog and I are both quite comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/35 "2016-08-31T18:25:26Z")
I’ve never owned an A/C … Iowa, Cape Cod, North Carolina, Texas, Southern California, Oregon … I consider it a frivolous luxury … but then again I almost always work outdoors … 92ºF indoors is a welcome relief from 104ºF outdoors. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/36 "2016-08-31T19:06:17Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I’ve never owned an A/C … Iowa, Cape Cod, North Carolina, Texas, Southern California, Oregon … I consider it a frivolous luxury … but then again I almost always work outdoors … 92ºF indoors is a welcome relief from 104ºF outdoors. 72F is even more welcome 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/37 "2016-09-01T15:23:11Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Which would completely defeat the purpose of trying to get reimbursement for boarding. Wouldn’t you spend so much on coverage that it would just be cheaper to pay the damn boarding bill? Hey, some people pay extra for towing coverage on their automobile… ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/38 "2016-09-01T15:28:20Z")
Goodness gracious. This can’t be real, can it? You’re seriously asking if the landlord is responsible for cooling your cats? Thanks for the chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/39 "2016-09-01T23:03:54Z")
I seriously doubt it. I got my landlord to pay for boarding my cat once (and a hotel room for me), because I had to be out of my house for a weekend so it could be tented for termites. But… 1. There was a legitimate need to vacate, and it was prompted by the landlord 2. We agreed on it beforehand. 3. I had extra leverage in the form of “I’m not signing the pest control company’s waiver until we come to an agreement”. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445/40 "2016-09-01T23:42:29Z")
> [@somepumpkin](#): > > Goodness gracious. This can’t be real, can it? You’re seriously asking if the landlord is responsible for cooling your cats? > > Thanks for the chuckle. There’s a “famous” thread that was closed back in 2012 that had to do with asking Dopers for donations to fix central air for the pets in the home. It did not go well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-reasonably-expect-my-apartment-management-to-cover-my-vet-bill/764445.md?page=3)