You don't have to be on a fixed income, such as receiving SSI, SSI-D, Retirement benefits to realize that if you have a pet there may come a time when one needs a substantial amount of money to pay for veterinary medical bills, which, lets face it, can sometimes be staggering. If one loves the pet(s), one wants to do everything possible to keep their pet healthy, but what if something comes up, some medical issue that is perhaps catastrophic and costly and one just doesn't have the financial resources to pay the bill?
There are some financial resources one can turn to in such a case, and I've compiled a listing that may be of help to you.
All Pets Wellness Foundation
http://allpetswellnessfoundation.org/
Animal Friends Rescue Project Website:
http://www.animalfriendsrescue.org/financialassistance.html
Description:
Financial Assistance for Pets
Often animals are put down or suffer needlessly because their owners cannot afford expensive surgery or emergency vet visits. Companion animal owners must often make the difficult decision to put an animal down or neglect urgent medical needs because of the costs involved. While costs are an inevitable part of the responsibility of owning companion animals, the reality is that many pet owners find themselves in the position of not being able to provide much needed, life saving and life enhancing medical care for their pets.
We have provided links to several programs that help pet owners cover emergency medical expenses or other lifesaving medical treatment.
• AAHA Helping Pets Fund
• Angels 4 Animals
• Care Credit: No Interest Payment Plan for Veterinary Care
• Cats in Crisis
• Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program (FVEAP)
• Help-A-Pet
• IMOM
• Labrador Life Line
• Shakespeare Animal Fund
• The Pet Fund
• United Animal Nations - Lifeline Program
• United Animal Nations - Resource ListAn extensive list of additional organizations that give assistance for specific breeds, specific diseases, or by state.
AAHA Helping Pets Fund:
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/
As the benevolent arm of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the AAHA Foundation seeks to improve the lives of pets. The AAHA Helping Pets Fund works with AAHA-accredited veterinary practices to identify pets in need. Accredited practices may then apply for assistance from the Fund for emergency and non-elective treatment of abandoned pets and pets whose owners are facing financial hardship.
Angels4Animals | Guardian Angels For Animals:
http://www.angels4animals.org/index.html
117,000 Pets areEuthanized or ForfeitedEvery Week in the United States
The true measure of a society is the care that it provides to the innocents and less fortunate. Most Americans are unaware that 117,000 pets are euthanized or forfeited every week in the United States. The reasons behind this high number may surprise you. Thousands of pets are put to sleep by reluctant pet owners, who are faced with financial challenges that prohibit them from rendering emergency and necessary medical care for their animals. Veterinary care can be very costly often requiring hundreds, or thousands of dollars. Unexpected veterinary bills have caused many pet owners, struggling to make ends meet, to make painful decisions involving the life of their pet. Pet insurance cannot solve this problem as it is generally expensive and offers only limited coverage. Angels4Animals, a non-profit organization and a program of Inner Voice Community Services, has a mission to serve as the guardian angel of animals whose caretakers find themselves in difficult financial situations. At Angels4Animals we believe that animal owners should not have to say goodbye to the animals that they love. Our work is accomplished in conjunction with veterinary clinics across the country, eager to assist as many animals, and their owners, as possible. Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment to those pets and pet owners in need. While pets and their human caretakers rely on us, we rely on the generosity and support of our donors. We ask for your help in fulfilling the promise of our society in caring for animals that otherwise would go without treatment, or worse.
Care Credit: No Interest Payment Plan For Veterinary Care
http://www.carecredit.com/
Cats In Crisis:
http://www.catsincrisis.org/index.html
Cats in Crisis Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization dedicated to helping
cats and kittens with special medical needs
receive the veterinary treatment they need to
live happy, healthy lives.
Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance:
http://fveap.org/
Welcome to Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance
We are a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Charity Organization (EIN #16-1624014) that provides emergency financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companion when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.
Seniors, people with disabilities, people who have lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue an injured or ill cat or kitten - any of these folks may need emergency financial assistance.
We also have a specialized dedicated fund (Kobi's Fund) for cats with Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (VAS) (also known as Injection Site Sarcoma).VAS is a group of cancers caused by vaccinations. Please see the Kobi's Fund Page for details.
We are not able to assist with routine exams, vaccinations, Insulin, or Spay/Neuter.
PLEASE NOTE: Contributions are down and we approve grants as funds become available. We may or may not have funding at any given time. We apologize if we are unable to help.
Help A Pet:
http://www.help-a-pet.org/
Who We Help
• Physically and mentally challenged individuals
• Senior citizens
• Children of the working poor
For such people, pets provide a vital therapeutic aid to daily living, unconditional emotional attachment, and protection. Unfortunately, it is often those who need their pets most who face the fiercest financial obstacles to providing medical treatment for their beloved companions. Applicants must provide proof of income eligibility.
Each owner is asked to pay as much as they can towards the cost in order to spread our assistance to as many pets as possible. Cost-sharing with an applicant indicates the owner's commitment to their pet's well-being, and lets you know your donation is being used as efficiently and sensibly as possible.
IMOM:
http://www.imom.org/
"Helping people help pets". To better the lives of sick, injured and abused companion animals. We are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged.
To educate on the importance of spay and neuter in relation to proven health risks for intact animals. And to offer financial aid for spay and neuter to caretakers who cannot afford to have their pet spayed or neutered.
Labrador Life Line
http://www.labradorlifeline.org/
Labrador Life Line, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit Organization created to help owners or rescuers of Labrador Retrievers who are in need of financial assistance.
Shakespeare Animal Fund:
http://www.shakespeareanimalfund.org/
To many of us a $50.00 medical bill at the vet is nothing, but for an elderly person on a fixed income, a single mother, a student, and for many others, it's an impossibility.
There are many instances of elderly people doing without their own medicine or even food in order to care for their animals' medical needs.
So what do you do if you love your animal but can't afford to pay the bill?
Shakespeare Animal Fund, a non-profit charity was founded after the loss of a beloved Cocker Spaniel "Shakespeare". He died after a very costly illness, and in his memory this fund was founded to help others who might face financial problems while trying to save their pet. Let Shakespeare help you!
Also, each month SAF distributes 500 lbs of dog food and 400 lbs of cat food. We help anywhere from 150 to 200 people each month including deliveries. Sometimes these pets haven't had anything to eat in days when we rush them emergency food.
You can be a hero to people in need. Support the efforts of the Shakespeare Animal Fund with your donations of funding and of time.
The Pet Fund:
http://www.thepetfund.com/
The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c) 3 nonprofit association that provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need veterinary care. Often animals are put down or suffer needlessly because their owners cannot afford expensive surgery or medical treatment. Companion animal owners must often make the difficult decision to put an animal down or neglect medical needs because of the costs involved.
Thousands of animals are sent to shelters and euthanized each year, many because of treatable medical conditions. While costs are an inevitable part of the responsibility of owning companion animals, The Pet Fund assists owners in covering medical costs beyond the normal expenses of vaccination, spay & neuter surgeries, food and routine veterinary care. Adopting a companion animal always involves both expense and commitment, and if owners have a resource to help with medical services, their animals can receive necessary care despite the financial burdens involved.
The purpose of the Pet Fund is to work towards a future where decisions about companion animal medical care need never be made on the basis of cost. Perhaps most importantly, we provide information to owners about preventative care, pet insurance programs, and financial services which will ensure that pet owners are able to develop financial resources on their own and avoid future emergencies through care and planning. Such information is often hard to find, and The Pet Fund provides a user-friendly, comprehensive starting place where all of these resources can be easily accessed.
United Animal Nations-Lifeline Program
(Now known as Red Rover)
http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=28
The RedRover Relief program provides funding to Good Samaritans, animal rescuers and pet owners to help them care for animals in life-threatening situations. Learn more about our RedRover Relief grants and find out the eligibility requirements
United Animal Nations-Resource List
(Now known as Red Rover)
http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navId=163#National_organizations
RedRover has compiled a comprehensive directory of organizations in the United States and Canada that can provide financial assistance with veterinary care.
This directory includes dozens of grant and loan programs and fundraising tools, and is the most comprehensive resource of its kind online.
This directory is provided as a resource. RedRover cannot guarantee that any of the organizations listed will be able to help in your specific situation, and RedRover does not endorse any of the listed veterinary clinics. Clinics are listed only if they have an emergency fund.
Ashley Fund (North Carolina)
http://www.ashleyfund.org/
New York Save
http://www.nysave.org/
Harrison Memorial(Colorado)
http://cvmf.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=27
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Other websites helpful for information about veterinary care for people who can't afford it:
Having Trouble Affording Veterinary Care?
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html
Help with vet and pet bills
http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/help_with_vet_and_pet_bills.html
Find resources, many of which are free, to get help with pet bills, including how to get grants and other assistance from the American Animal Hospital Association Helping Pets Fund. As most pet owners will eventually be faced with expensive, unexpected veterinary bills.
Assistance Programs:
http://www.pacc911.org/Assistance_Programs.html
Blind Dogs
This is a site that you can list your blind dog for a new home;
http://www.blinddogs.com/listing-info.htm
Blind Dog Rescue Alliance
http://www.blinddogrescue.com/
Guardian Angels For Soldiers
www.guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org
This organization works to be sure our service men and women are reunited with their pets.
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Other ideas for financial help with veterinary medical bills:
Chip-Ins
Here's another idea...many on-line friends will be more than willing to "chip-in" for veterinary medical expenses...many rescuers do this when they rescue a pet but have staggering vet bills...so..maybe do a chip-in yourself? Explain what you need it for...vet medical biils
One can set up a chip-in here
http://www.chipin.com/
Wish Upon A Hero website
Another possible resource is Wish Upon A Hero website
Wish Upon A Hero is a website that brings together people to help grant wishes big and small. No wish is too large, no hero is too small.
http://www.wishuponahero.com/
The Following are for California:
spay-neuter (S/N) medical (M)
ACTORS AND OTHERS FOR ANIMALS (S/N) (M) (818) 755-6045
ANIMAL HEALTH FOUNDATION (S/N) (562) 948-4979 ......seniors 65+ only, calls accepted Friday AM only CATALYST FOR CATS (S/N) (805) 685-2862 ......Santa Barbara residents only
CATS IN NEED OF HUMAN CARE (S/N) (909) 622-0121 ......Pomona residents only
FRIENDS OF LONG BEACH ANIMALS 'SNIP' (S/N) (562) 988-SNIP ......Long Beach & Signal Hill only L.A. ANIMAL SERVICES (S/N) (213) 473-8253 ......L.A. city residents only: Senior Citizens & Low Income (under $40,000)
MERCY CRUSADE (S/N) (M) (818) 597-2926
PASADENA HUMANE SOCIETY (S/N) (626) 792-7171 x106 ......Pasadena, S. Pasadena, La Canada, San Marino, Sierra Madre, ......& Arcadia residents only
PET ASSISTANCE (toll-free number) (S/N) (M) (877) 772-9738
POPCO (S/N) (877) 44-POPCO ......San Bernardino & Riverside residents only (funds low 1/03)
SAN FERNANDO, CITY OF (S/N) (818) 898-1227 ......San Fernando residents only
SANTA MONICA SHELTER (S/N) (310) 458-8594 ......Santa Monica residents only
SEAL BEACH ANIMAL CARE CENTER (S/N) (562) 430-4993 ......Specific Orange County residents only
S.P.A.R.E. (S/N) (310) 377-2998 ......for cats belonging to low income residents in: Lennox, ......Inglewood, Copton, Lawndale, Gardena, Wilmington & Carson only
SPAY AND NEUTER ANIMAL NETWORK (S.P.A.N.) (S/N) (M) (805) 646-1919 ......Specific areas
VENTURA COUNTY ANIMAL REG (S/N) (805) 388-4341 ......vouchers for s/n of cats & dogs: Ventura County only, in these cities: ......Santa Paula, Fillmore, Thousand Oaks and Oxnard.
Pets in Need http://www.petsinneed.org/Services.html
