Browse the map below to find a low-cost vet, pet clinic, or a non-profit near you that may be able to assist you with veterinary care services at an affordable cost, including spay and neuter and emergency care.
The unfortunate reality is that it’s going to be very hard to find financial assistance for unexpected or emergency veterinary care as most organizations that do offer financial support to low-income pet owners will have large backlogs and limited human resource to process applications. Here are the steps we recommend if you find yourself in this situation.
Some veterinary clinics may offer a lot more flexibility with payment plans. They may allow you to make payments in installments rather than in one lump sum. Call in advance so that you don’t waste time traveling to a clinic that doesn’t offer payment plans.
Consider programs like CareCredit, which is a credit card designed to help people finance medical bills not covered by insurance. This also includes veterinary expenses such as routine appointments and emergency care. If you are eligible, you may be able to pay the vet bill in monthly installments up to 60 months. Please note that CareCredit isn’t accepted by every clinic so you should check this ahead of time. An alternative program to look into is Scratchpay.
Some veterinary colleges and schools may have an emergency assistance program that will help your pet at an affordable cost.
While chances are low, it doesn’t hurt to contact as many local non-profits as you can to see if they might have any funds set aside to help low-income pet owners that require assistance with emergency vet bills. You can use the map above to find animal non-profits in your area.
There could be a local Facebook group or Whatsapp channel where you could ask your fellow neighbors if they are aware of any resources that can help finance your emergency vet bill.
While it may not be a comfortable situation, your best chance of getting financial assistance may come from friends and families. If they are unable to support directly then set up a fundraising campaign from sites like GoFundMe and ask them if they can help spread the word.