Title: Financial Assistance for Veterinary Bills
Source: VP Client Information Sheets
Authored by: Phyllis DeGioia, Editor
Address (URL): www.VeterinaryPartner.com When clients can’t afford to pay for a pet’s treatment, everyone loses. The animal suffers or is euthanized; the owner grieves from loss or guilt; the veterinarian aches knowing what could have been done.
Thankfully, due to the recent recession, numerous nonprofit organizations have been created to help pet owners pay for veterinary care they cannot afford. For high-end costs, such as cancer or orthopedic surgery, most of these organizations will kick in part of the necessary cost, not all of it. For smaller needs, such as dentals in a diseased mouth, some organizations may foot the entire bill. Some routine care is covered, although most of these funds are for emergency or long-term treatment.
The organizations listed below that are based in the United States are listed at Guide Star as having a 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, unless otherwise noted.
Before applying, be sure to read the organization’s guidelines, and be certain to fill out the entire application.
If you know of an organization offering assistance with veterinary treatment bills and would like to see it listed here, please email it to Feedback@VeterinaryPartner.com.
Disease-Specific Organizations
Big Hearts Fund, for heart disease
bigheartsfund.org
Canine Cancer Awareness, cancer treatment for dogs
caninecancerawareness.org
Cats in Crisis, for cats with kidney, thyroid, neurological or cardiac disease
www.catsincrisis.org
Diabetic Cats in Need, for shelters, rescues, low-income owners
fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/p/our-missionactivitiespeople.html
Dog and Cat Cancer Fund, cancer treatment
www.dccfund.org
FETCH a Cure, for pets with cancer
fetchacure.com/about-us/our-mission/
Joshua Lewis Cancer Foundation, pets with cancer
www.joshualouis.org
Magic Bullet Fund, dogs with cancer
www.themagicbulletfund.org
PieFund, focuses on cancer
www.piefund.org
Riedel Cody Fund, cancer treatment
www.riedelcody.org
Stymie Canine Cancer Foundation, dogs with cancer
stymieccf.org
National Organizations in the United States
American Humane Association’s Second Chance Fund, for nonprofits helping homeless victims of abuse or neglect (numerous species)
www.americanhumane.org/animals/programs/shelter-services/second-chance-fund/
Brown Dog Foundation, for sick pets that would likely respond to treatment
www.browndogfoundation.org
Buddy Care Foundation, for critical medical care
www.buddycare.org
Cody’s Club, [not a 501(c)(3)] radiation treatment at nonprofits
www.dogdoggiedog.com/pwcAcodysclub.htm
Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance, for cats with life-threatening illness or injury
fveap.org/index.html
Frankie’s Friends, for emergency and specialty care
www.frankiesfriends.com
Handicapped Pets Foundation, provides equipment
hpets.org
IMOM (In Memory of Magic), non-routine care for companion animals
www.imom.org
International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, for assistance dogs
www.iaadp.org/iaadp-membership-benefits-vcp.html
Mosby Foundation, critically sick, injured, abused and neglected dogs
themosbyfoundation.org
National Equine Resource Network, life-saving surgeries or treatments
www.nationalequine.org/programs.html
Onyx and Breezy Foundation, medical treatment for hardship
onyxandbreezy.org
Paws 4 a Cure, illnesses and injuries
www.paws4acure.org
Pet Fund, medical costs beyond normal expenses
thepetfund.com
RedRover/United Animal Nations, grants between $100 and $200 to fill small funding gaps
www.redrover.org
Shakespeare Animal Fund, for those meeting federal poverty guidelines
shakespeareanimalfund.org
Regional Organizations
Actors and Others for Animals, for low/fixed income owners in Southern California
www.actorsandothers.com
Animal Care and Welfare Inc., emergencies in Pennsylvania
www.animalcareandwelfare.org
Becky’s Gift Equine Relief, for horses in New Hampshire
www.beckysgift.org
Care for the Horses, short-term veterinary care from Animal Protection of New Mexico
careforthehorses.com/assistance.html
Equine Protection Fund, for horses, donkeys, and mules in New Mexico
equineprotectionfund.org
Fairy Tail Endings, pets in Florida’s Sarasota & Manatee counties
www.fairytailendings.org
Hearts United Animals, assists in the Midwest
hua.org
The Merrick Fund Foundation, for rescues and shelters in central Pennsylvania
merrick-fund.org/index.html
Montana Horse Sanctuary, some veterinary grants in Montana
www.montanahorsesanctuary.org/index.html
New York Save, emergency care in New York City’s five boroughs
www.nysave.org
P.A.L.S. (Pets Are Loving Support), basic veterinary care in Atlanta
www.palsatlanta.org/whatisPals.htm
PETS-DC, pets of HIV/AIDS patients in Washington DC
www.petsdc.org/index.html
Rochester Hope for Pets, primarily for unexpected or emergencies in Rochester, NY
rochesterhopeforpets.org
RIVMA Companion Animal Foundation, Rhode Island
www.companionanimalfoundation.org
RUFF (Rescuing Unwanted Furry Friends), Southern California
www.ruffrescue.org
San Francisco SPCA, for residents of San Francisco
www.sfspca.org/veterinary-hospital/financing-options
Save U.S. Pets Foundation, New Jersey
saveuspets.org
Sound Equine Options, emergency care in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington
www.soundequineoptions.org
STARrelief, urgent and routine care in Connecticut
starelief.org/about-starelief/
Breed Specific Organizations
Corgi Aid, for rescued corgis before adoption
www.corgiaid.org
The Goldstock Fund, emergencies for Golden Retrievers/Golden mixes
www.goldstockfund.org/tgf/index.html
Labrador-L Emergency Medical Assistance (LABMED), urgent care for abandoned or rescued Labs
www.labmed.org/aid_main.html
Labrador Lifeline, for Labrador retrievers
www.labradorlifeline.org
Organizations Outside the United States
Animal Cancer Therapy Subsidization Society of Alberta, for cancer cases
www.actss.ca
Fair Go Financing, loans in Australia
fairgofinance.net.au/with-vet-bills-soaring-more-and-more-people-are-asking-for-pet-loans/
Farley Foundation, for seniors and people with disabilities in Ontario
www.farleyfoundation.org
Vet Pay, continuing credit payment plan in Australia
www.vetpay.com.au
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