I don't want to be a 'debbie downer' here, but those types of people that will allow an animal to suffer to the point of death are not the type to be frequenting doggy message boards online.
Money IS an issue - for the best of people, and for the most caring of people - it is a HUGE issue. Vet care is grossly overpriced, and when it boils down to how many blood tests and how much lab work you can do - it's money that often stands in the way for many people. While most of us have savings and credit cards for this type of thing - some people just plain don't. Sometimes, it's their fault - but often it's a sad string of events that has left them broke- but I can guarentee you one thing - if someone cares enough, they will do what needs to be done, no matter what that hard decision may be.
We've seen lots of loss here on the board; sad as it may seem. People will do whatever they can for their pets on this board - but all the vet treatment in the world cannot provide a good quality of life to a sick animal, and that's when this story ends and a mourning begins. And ending a suffering is, in my perspective, one of the most kindest, selfless things a person can do for their pet. It doesn't make them a bad person, it means they are thinking of someone other than themselves. I've had to make that call - and I'm sure you will too at one point.
ETA: licensing varies HUGELY from county to county - and state to state. Here in my county (Pinellas) you have to register every pet. In the next county over (Pasco) there is no mandatory licensing. In Pinellas, we have the preferd option of a 3 year license, and now they just offered a life time license ($10, same as the 1 year or 3 year).