Clubs Offering:
Every day, in animal hospitals around the country, dog owners receive the devastating news that there’s something seriously wrong with their pet. When the unexpected happens, the cost of pet healthcare can quickly burn through any budget, and according to the American Academy of Actuaries, only 1 to 2 percent of American pets are insured. So what can you do if your dog needs urgent or life-saving treatment, and you can’t afford to pay?
First: don’t despair. There are funds around the United States designed to help pet owners access affordable pet care and even free pet care, and keep their dogs healthy and thriving for as long as possible.
Ask for a payment plan
Talk with your vet frankly about your economic situation. They may have programs in place to support your family.⁴ Ask them about payment plans available that you can pay by a specific date or time frame.
Your vet’s office manager may request additional documentation such as pay stubs or bank statements before enrollment. Keep in mind that the practice may keep your pet in their care until you pay something for the care you received. Open and honest dialogue is key during this process, so it’s best to be forthright and patient.
Financial and natural disaster assistance
Sometimes, your dog is hurt or sick because of no fault of your own — maybe an accident happened or your home was hit by a hurricane or tornado. Maybe you or someone in your family are simply too old to care for the dog. The following organizations specialize in working with pet parents in crisis.
A cancer diagnosis is heartbreaking, but very common in dogs. Approximately 1 in 4 dogs will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime with the risk of cancer increasing as a dog ages.10 Reach out to one of these organizations for treatment if you’ve recently been told your dog has cancer.
A homeless person sitting on the ground with a dog in their lap.
Should I Put My Dog Down at Home if I Can’t Afford a Vet Bill?
My Dog is Unwell But I Have No Money For The Vet – What Can I Do? – Dog Health Vet Advice
We all want the best for our pets, but life sometimes gets in the way. When there is a sudden illness or accident, it can leave us facing large vet bills we weren’t expecting. A job loss can make it hard to feed ourselves and our beloved pets, and having to move can leave you wondering how you’re going to take your pets with you. Luckily, there are resources out there to help you through hard times. So if you’re can’t pay for your pet’s care, here are 12 amazing programs that can help!
This all-volunteer 501(c)(3) charity helps people cover vet bills when they just can’t do it themselves. Also, they can help with spay/neutering and have a staff on hand to answer questions or get you the resources you need for any issues with your pet.
Youcaring.com is a free crowdfunding site that focuses on raising money for people who need it for personal reasons – everything from education to pet expenses. Each month, they have over 2,000 crowdfunding campaigns for people needing help with pet care costs. Recently, Cheryl Dohn raised more than $8,000 on her campaign (goal was only $2,500) to help her dog Roxy Mama.
RedRover.org has grants for people who need financial support. This can be for an animal you rescued (and are fostering) or your own pet. They also have a program that helps with disaster relief, criminal seizures and hoarding cases.
This nonprofit’s mission is to ensure low income pet parents and their companion or service animals remain together when issues arise. Some of the services they offer include: Pet Assistance Fund, Service Animal Aid Fund, Senior Services Project and Medical. More can be found on their website.
The ASPCA has two programs in New York City: Spay Neuter Operations and Cruelty Intervention Advocacy, which helps those facing relinquishment. In Los Angeles, they have a free spay/neuter clinic. They not only have their own programs, but can also connect you to different resources.
Many breed rescues and groups have specials funds available for owners who need financial assistance. A few examples are the Special Needs Dobermans, Labrador Lifeline, and Pitbull Rescue Central.
After going through the experience of not being able to care for her dog with cancer, Carol Smock (along with six others), started Brown Dog Foundation to help others avoid the situation Smock found herself in back in 2006. It’s a public charity “that provides funding to families who find themselves in similar situations – a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to an unforseen circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to make it happen.”
The Pet Fund provides financial assistance to owners whose pets need veterinary care. In addition to their own programs, they have a lot of resources on their site, including links to many area and/or group specific programs that may fit your needs.
The Banfield Pet Hospital has its own programs for owners that can’t afford their pet’s care. Of course they cover emergency surgeries, but they also cover routine, preventative care.
Many people do not realize that Meals on Wheels also helps people feed their pets. Sponsored by Banfield Pet Hostpital, the Meals on Wheels Pet Program was created to make sure seniors were able to provide food for their pets.