The cost of emergency vet care in this country (and several others) often varies because it hinges on a couple of factors. To get a ballpark figure, you’ll have to factor in the location of your preferred clinic, the price of the service being provided, the cost of initial diagnosis, and more importantly, the type of pet.
The only thing that we know for sure is that sometimes these bills are so high that they could leave you financially stranded, wondering what your options are. Fortunately for all of us, we have charities and organizations that are specifically tasked with ensuring no pet parent finds themselves in such a dilemma, with no means of resolving the problem.
So don’t skip that ACL or x-ray procedure, fearing you might not be able to cater to the bills. Check out this list of organizations that are willing to help you save your fur baby, by providing critical coverage.
The 10 Organizations and Charities That Help Pet Parents Pay for Vet Care
1. Brown Dog Foundation
The Brown Dog Foundation was founded on the 16th day of October 2006, to pay homage to “Chocolate Chip”. Chip was an amazing dog who lost his life to lymphosarcoma. Also known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (or simply lymphoma) lymphosarcoma is a type of cancer that affects different species of animals, including cats, dogs, and humans. Chip’s family couldn’t afford the proper vet care, so they had to surrender him to a shelter.
If you have a pet that can positively respond to a certain treatment, but due to unforeseen circumstances you can’t cater to the costs of operation, reach out to the Brown Dog Foundation. They are dedicated to making sure that no other animal suffers the same fate that befell Chip.
2. The Pet Fund
This is a charitable organization that’s dedicated to saving domestic animals, by offering financial assistance to their owners. The program that they have is only applicable to pets that require non-basic, non-urgent care, meaning you cannot turn to them for help if you’re looking for ways to subsidize spay and neuter procedures or costs of life-threatening injuries.
Medical issues that fall under the non-basic, non-urgent care umbrella include eye diseases, endocrine complications, chronic problems, heart disease, and cancer-related procedures.
3. Frankie’s Friends
If Pet Fund is no longer an alternative due to their limitations, try Frankie’s Friends. This organization also offers financial grants to parents who wouldn’t wish to euthanize their pets to alleviate their pain and suffering. Their programs are fashioned to handle special medical conditions, as well as emergency treatment.
However, your application will only go through if you have documentation that proves that you’re in dire need of financial assistance. You’ll also require a note from a reputable veterinarian, confirming that the treatment will work.
4. Shakespeare Animal Fund
This is the organization that you need to reach out to if you’re a resident of North Central Florida or live in one of the 13 northern Nevada counties. They are always determined to ensure no animal suffers for a prolonged period due to a lack of access to proper care meant to treat injuries or different ailments.
Unlike some organizations, Shakespeare Animal Fund doesn’t discriminate when it comes to who can apply for their assistance. They’ll happily work with returning veterans, the disabled, and the elderly.
5. Paws 4 A Cure
First off, if you’d like to provide volunteering services to a charitable organization that’s dedicated to saving dogs or cats, join Paws 4 A Cure. All their staff members are volunteers who are always ready and willing to help the organization handle the growing number of pet parents who are in need of financial assistance. Their programs are designed to settle non-routine veterinary service bills.
They’ll only lend you a hand if your dog or cat requires medical equipment to live comfortably, medication, or surgery. They won’t be open to the idea of offering financial assistance for preventative care, euthanasia, spaying/neutering, or any other service that they deem as routine veterinary care.
6. Bow Wow Buddies Foundation
Bow Wow is not your typical non-profit foundation. In addition to providing vet care and financial assistance to dog parents grappling with accrued bills, they also like to reach out to various rescue organizations and shelters to lend a helping hand. They believe dogs that are there awaiting adoption also have a right to get easy access to affordable medical care even if they’ve waited for years. The foundation doesn’t care if the dog requires urgent medical care or costly surgeries. If they are in a position to help, they will do it without blinking twice.
7. Kyle’s Legacy Inc
Kyle’s Legacy has always been on a mission to facilitate the innovation of new avenues to treat and eventually cure canine cancer. They understand all too well how painful it can be to lose “man’s best friend” to such a heartbreaking disease, and that’s why they have fundraising programs set up to raise enough money to offer financial aid to people with dogs that are battling cancer. They also have other programs that are designed to educate the public on how to detect, avoid, and effectively handle canine cancer.
8. Emma’s Foundation for Canine Cancer
This is yet another organization that was founded to honor the memories of an incredible dog named “Emma”. Emma succumbed to cancer that adversely affected a part of her jaw. Removing it was an option according to her specialists, but that would have only bought her 10 to 12 more months. Her parents didn’t want to go through with such a procedure, as that could negatively influence her quality of life. They chose to keep her comfortable until she passed away.
To keep her memories alive, they started the foundation to help pay the medical bills for dogs that have been diagnosed with cancer and living in Florida or New England.
9. Lovie’s Legacy
This foundation honors the memories of one Lovie Mae Smith. Mrs. Smith passed on at the age of 97 but made sure her legacy lived on through her non-profit organization. Sadly though, Lovie’s Legacy only offers financial aid to Tennessee residents. They only deal with emergency veterinary situations, meaning you can get in contact with them any time of the day. Their services are usually fast and efficient, as they often believe every minute counts in such cases.
10. MyPetChild
MyPetChild is sort of different compared to the other organizations because, on top of offering a 200-dollar financial aid grant to struggling pet parents, they also provide various resources that could help them discover other avenues of financial assistance. Those who qualify for the grants are pet owners who only seek non-emergency, non-routine care. To find out whether or not you’re qualified, just send your application online or dial them up. They are available to all U.S. residents and those living in the U.K.
What Are Other Vet Care Funding Options?
Let’s say you’ve gone through all the organizations listed above, only to realize that you’re not eligible for grants from any one of them. If that’s the case, don’t despair—there are other funding options, such as:
Pet Insurance
This might not help your current situation, but it might come in handy the next time you find yourself in a similar predicament.
Veterinary Institutions
Specifically, colleges. They are known to provide low-cost veterinary medical care to low-income households around the country.
Crowdfunding
Do not ever underestimate the power of social media. Couple that with the fact that the world is full of people who love animals, and you have yourself an effective tool for raising funds. Organizations such as Waggle and GoFundMe can help you consolidate the funds collected.
Conclusion
Non-profit organizations are able to help people because they rely on donations from pet parents and businesses. So even if you don’t have a pet that requires urgent medical care, it’s a great idea to donate to the group to help someone else. They might not know who you are, or what you did for them, but good karma might pay you back.
Featured Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock
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