Overview
Veterinarian attention is a vital part of caring for your family pets. Even vaccinating minimally, restricting outside access, and feeding a species-appropriate nutritionally balanced diet does not guarantee your cat won’t encounter a catastrophic illness or injury. Annual visits (not vaccinations!) are important health prevention measures, and a cat should be seen without delay once a potential problem is detected; cats are masters at hiding pain and as often as not, by the time a loving owner has detected a potential issue, the cat has been in difficulty for some time.
Veterinarian costs can be hard to manage; charges for long-term care can mount quickly, and emergencies can hit the pocketbook hard and fast. Sadly, economic realities can and often do influence treatment choices, but before you get to that point, take a look at the following options and organizations – one of them may be exactly what you need to get the necessary care for your injured or sick kitty.
If you are burdened with serious financial constraints and struggling just to keep your cat (irrespective of a medical issue), some of these institutions may also be able to help you avoid surrendering your beloved pet. Look for this ** next to the link.
Finally, if you are blessed with abundant resources and looking for a worthy charity to which you can contribute, these organizations will put your money to good use!
Payment Plans & Local Options
Ask your veterinarian if some type of payment installment plan would be an option. It is rare but not completely unheard of for vets to work with their clients, especially if you are long-time customer with an established relationship.
If your cat is in pain or suffering and you are unable to pay for veterinary care or set up some type of installment plan, your local humane society or animal advocacy group may be able to help you directly with veterinary services, or they may be able to provide you with additional potential resources. And if you live in a state that has a large college or university with degree programs in veterinary medicine, contact the school and ask if they offer any low-cost services.
These two companies are another option for payments plans:
Care Credit
“CareCredit is a healthcare credit card that can be used as a payment option for certain expenses not covered by insurance or to bridge situations when desired care exceeds insurance coverage.”
Medicard
“Medicard’s financing programs ensure that you don’t delay your treatment due to cost concerns by offering you a variety of financing terms with convenient monthly payments. We will pay your doctor or service provider in full now and you can repay us in affordable monthly payments.”
Online Organizations
Banfield Charitable Trust
Offers financial assistance to pet owners struggling to pay for preventive and emergency veterinary care for their pets.
Cats In Crisis
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping cats and kittens with special medical needs receive the veterinary treatment they need to live happy, healthy lives.
The Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE)
A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to enhance and preserve the quality of life of animals by providing access to necessary medical care and education. The FACE Foundation’s FB page can be found here: Facebook.com/FACE4Pets
Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)
A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Charity Organization (EIN #16-1624014) that provides emergency financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companion when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.
GoFundMe
A crowd-funding site that helps pet owners and guardians raise funds for emergency pet care issues.
God’s Creatures Ministry
GCM is a non-profit organization with a mission for all animals to be treated by people with kindness. We promote compassion, respect and protection of all sentient creatures and encourage churches and similar organizations to have either their own animal ministry or GCM extension. GCM will send up to $50 directly to the veterinarian for those whose situations qualify.
IMOM**
Mission Statement: To better the lives of sick, injured and abused companion animals. We are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged.
Pet Food Stamps**
The Pet Food Stamps program provides food for pets of low-income families and food stamp recipients who otherwise could not afford to feed their pets.
The Pet Fund**
The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c) 3 nonprofit association that provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need veterinary care.
Petco Foundation Food Bank**
This program was specifically created to support food bank’s inventory of pet food/litter to assist people in financial crisis feed their pets.
Pets of the Homeless**
A list of organizations working with distributing organizations – local food banks, pantries, soup kitchens and homeless shelters – who have agreed to distribute the pet food to the homeless and poor in their communities.
Rose’s Fund for Animals
Offers financial assistance for veterinarian costs to pet owners and Good Samaritans who have an animal with a good prognosis for a healthy life, but are at a financial loss.
Shakespeare Animal Fund
A non-profit charity founded to help others facing financial problems while trying to save their pets in a veterinarian emergency.
United Animal Nations**
The RedRover Relief program provides funding to Good Samaritans, animal rescuers and pet owners to help them care for animals in life-threatening situations. They have also compiled a comprehensive directory of organizations in the United States and Canada that offer financial assistance with veterinary care, including state and local groups as well as grant and loan programs.
Special Interest Organizations
Animal Rescue Fund (ARF)
The ARF mission is to provide funds for the emergency treatment of injured or sick animals that are stray, abandoned, or of unknown owner.
The Big Hearts Fund
Dedicated to raising funds and awareness for dogs and cats diagnosed with heart disease.
Diabetic Pets Fund
Proceeds raised by the Diabetic Pets Fund are used to aid diabetic pets in need.
The Farley Foundation
The Foundation assists people in need by subsidizing the cost of necessary (non-elective) veterinary care for the pets that mean the world to them. The Foundation currently serves only Ontario, Canada residents.
Handicapped Pets Foundation
The Handicapped Pets foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to the health and well-being of elderly, disabled, and injured pets. We donate mobility equipment to pets in need.
New York Save
The goal of NY SAVE is for any pet owner residing in one of the five boroughs of New York City who is truly in need of financial assistance to be able to take their pet to any participating veterinary hospital for emergency veterinary care.
The Prince Chunk Foundation**
A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that enables pet owners to keep their pets during times of financial crisis by providing temporary assistance to pet owners throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California.
R.U.F.F (Rescuing Unwanted Furry Friends)
A non-profit organization dedicated to helping pets and their owners with financial assistance for veterinary care. We have been helping sick, injured, and abandoned animals in Orange County, CA, since 1989.
United Kingdom Organizations
This list is maintained by PetLoversOnline in the UK.
Pet Samaritan Fund
Pet Samaritan Fund provides financial assistance to individuals unable to afford medical care for their pet(s) in Utah’s Salt Lake and surrounding County.
If you enjoyed this article or found it informative, please “Like” it, “Tweet” it, or share it using any of the buttons below. And don’t forget to check out our FB page, join the discussions in our awesome FB group and follow us on Twitter!
Created 04/22/12; Updated 09/19/15
