No matter their personal or financial status, all pet parents share a common trait: deep, unconditional love for their animal companions. When disaster strikes and you find yourself unable to provide your fur friend with the veterinary care she desperately needs, there are grant programs out there that may be able to help.
Please note that the organizations below are unique in the services and funding options they offer. Each has its own set of rules and guidelines to determine who qualifies for assistance, so be sure to do your research.
RedRover
This incredible organization is devoted to helping animals of all kinds by providing emergency shelter, disaster relief services, financial assistance, and public education. The RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program provides financial aid to pets in need of critical veterinary care. Grant decisions are based on medical urgency, financial need, available funding, and eligibility.
The Pet Fund
The Pet Fund provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who cannot afford routine or preventive veterinary care. They do not provide emergency funding. Their goal is to aid and educate pet owners to keep pets healthy and prevent emergencies.
Note: All applicants are required to contact the Pet Fund by phone at 916-443-6007 before applying for funding.
The Brown Dog Foundation
The Brown Dog Foundation was created in 2006 to help qualified applicants whose dogs require life-saving veterinary treatments or medications. According to co-founder Carol Smock, who lost her own dog to cancer when she could not afford his treatment, the public charity “provides funding to families who find themselves in similar situations – a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to an unforeseen circumstance, there is not enough money immediately available to make it happen.
The Mosby Foundation
A small 501(c)3 non-profit organization started in honor of the founders’ beloved dog, The Mosby Foundation assists in the care of critically sick, injured, abused, and neglected dogs through financial support and public education. They are not able to offer funds for routine vet visits, diagnostics, or dental procedures. Pets must be spayed or neutered to be eligible for aid.
Harley’s Hope Foundation
Three different programs are available for pet owners in need of financial assistance through the Harley’s Hope Foundation. The Pet Assistance Fund assists low-income pet owners with urgent veterinary care and behavioral or specialty training; the Service Animal Aid Fund offers financial support for medical service and assistance dogs; and the Special Services Project helps elderly and disabled clients with veterinary costs as well as at-home care.
Onyx and Breezy Foundation
This privately run non-profit provides funding and support to several pet-related causes, including spay/neuter programs, shelter and puppy mill rescue, and cancer research. They also help qualifying individuals struggling to afford their pets’ veterinary care.
Paws 4 A Cure
Paws 4 A Cure is a small non-profit organization dedicated to helping families in need of non-routine veterinary financial assistance for their dog or cat. Their website states:
“The majority of our applicants are hardworking people that came upon hard times financially when their pet had an illness or injury that treatment is outside of what they could afford, a senior citizen or U.S. veteran that is on a fixed income, a disabled adult or child’s service dog, or a person that has high medical bills due of their own when their dog or cat became injured or sick.”
YouCaring + GoFundMe
Another option is to begin a personal campaign on the free crowdfunding site YouCaring, which recently teamed up with GoFundMe. Each month, they have over 2,000 campaigns for people needing help with pet care costs. Learn more about crowdfunding for your pet.
In addition to the funds above, BestFriends.org and HumaneSociety.org offer comprehensive lists of state-specific organizations as well as additional information and resources for pet owners in need.
There are also several options for pets battling specific diseases, such as The Magic Bullet Fund and the Helping Harley Fund.
Other organizations offer special funds for dogs of a particular breed. A few examples are Special Needs Dobermans, Labrador Lifeline, and Pitbull Rescue Central. Try searching your dog’s individual breed to see if there is a fund your pup may qualify for.
Toledo, United States.
