Get help paying vet bills when you're in a financial crunch. Pet emergencies don't always come at a convenient time, and veterinarian medical care is expensive. At one time, not having enough money to pay for such an emergency meant tearfully dropping the pet off at the animal shelter. Today you can find help through organizations that want companion animals to stay with the families that love them.
Charitable Organizations
The following charitable organizations can provide monetary help for those needing veterinary care for their pets:
- American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Helping Pets Fund
- Angels4Animals
- Care Credit
- Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)
- God's Creatures Ministry
- Help-A-Pet
- IMOM
- The Pet Fund
American Animal Hospital Association
The American Animal Hospital Association provides funds for veterinarian assistance to pet owners who cannot afford emergency medical treatment for their pet. The veterinarian must be accredited with AAHA Helping Pets Fund. Good Samaritans who bring in abandoned pets also qualify for emergency and non-elective financial assistance. Your AAHA accredited veterinarian must apply for assistance on the pet owners or Good Samaritan's behalf.
Angels4Animals
When an animal is facing euthanasia or abandonment due to financial hardship, Angels4Animals works through links they have established with animal clinics across the United States. Once financial hardship is verified through the vet, Angels4Animals makes arrangement with the animal clinic to disburse payment for services.
CareCredit
CareCredit provides a line of credit for health care related expenses only. Those in need of health care can be anyone in your family including your pets. CareCredit is not charitable assistance. It's a credit card with an interest rate and a specified time for paying off your debt. Your terms of repayment depend on the plan you choose when you use the card.
Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance
This charitable organization provides emergency medical funds to a specified group of cat owners. To qualify you must already receive assistance through any one of the following programs:
- State Medicaid
- Medicare
- Social Security as only income
- public assistance program
- Unemployment benefits
God's Creatures Ministry
This charitable organization can donate $50 for those in need of pet care assistance.
The Pet Fund
The pet fund provides financial assistance for non -emergency and non -basic veterinarian services only.
Pet owners must pass a phone interview for eligibility before filling out the application.
IMOM
At this time, IMOM provides financial assistance for life-threatening pet emergencies only.
United Nations Animals
United Nations Animals provides many services for those in need including emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education.
Every year thousands of companion animals in the United States face euthanasia or abandonment by their owners for lack of funds. These charitable organizations strive to save companion animals from such a fate by providing financial assistance. They exist through volunteers and donations from the public. Even if you don't anticipate ever needing financial help with your pet, you might meet someone in need of assistance. Keep this list for such an occasion. Consider adding one of these organizations to your preferred charities list. Donations are always needed and much appreciated.
- American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Helping Pets Fund www.aahahelpingpets.org/
- Angels4Animals www.Angels4Animals.org
- Care Credit www.carecredit.com
- Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP) www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/
- God's Creatures Ministry http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html
- Help-A-Pet http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html
- IMOM www.imom.org
- The Pet Fund thepetfund.com/
- United Animal Nations www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html
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