MARGARET MILLER was broken-hearted when the family dog Duke had to be put down, but the cost of operating on his back injury was far more than she and her husband could afford, so they were left with no other choice, writes Caroline Madden.

"I swore then that if we ever got another dog I'd get him insured," Margaret recalls. "I didn't want to be put in that situation again."

So when Sam, a little puppy of mixed ancestry, joined the Miller household five years ago, the first thing Margaret did was get him insured.

The policy is with Allianz Petplan and costs a little more than €130 a year. "I used to say before that I couldn't afford to get a dog insured, but when I realised the price it was well worth it," she says.

It turned out to be a wise decision because Sam has been diagnosed with a liver condition. A recent vet's bill for various diagnostic tests came to more than €500. Margaret has to pay the first €60 of the costs, but the insurance policy covers the rest.

"If he wasn't insured, he wouldn't have gone for those tests," she says. Margaret may therefore never have discovered his condition, which requires a special diet. Sam may also have to have a liver operation in the future, but if it is necessary the insurance will cover it.

"At least we have peace of mind," she says. "We know even if the worst comes to the worst with our little dog now we have done everything possible for him - with Duke we felt guilty."

"At least I know he's getting the best treatment and that's due to the insurance and of course the vets."

Margaret strongly urges all dog owners to take out insurance, so that they never find themselves in the terrible position that she did with Duke.

"I would recommend everyone to get insurance because you never know," she says. "I didn't think I'd have to use it on this fella but I wasn't going to take a chance."