From personal experience, if an emergency op is needed and the owner asks if it can go ahead, and has limited funds, the vet will come to an arrangement whereby the client can pay by installments, to be paid within a specific time. At least this was my experience with the vets at Clayton.
Who is the vet in this case? anyone know? Surely if the family was willing to clear the debt within a time period the vet would have gone ahead?