ALLEY CAT RESCUE
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Solutions for Vet Costs

Picture
There are a number of options for financial aid available, as well as alternative steps you can take to help cover vet visits.

For Emergency Vet Care
  1. Contact nearby veterinary schools/colleges as they often have programs for free and low-cost emergency services.
  2. You can also apply for financial aid from the national and state-specific organizations listed below.
  3. Ask your current vet about the possibility of a payment plan.
  4. Try a crowdfunding platform such as GoFundMe, Waggle.org, or Cuddly.com.
  5. Pet Insurance is a good thing to have in case of emergencies, or even preventative care and maintenance. There are many companies that offer pet insurance, so research and compare their policies carefully. Keep in mind that many policies do not cover dental care.

For General Vet Care
  1. Veterinary schools may also have low-cost clinics for clients who qualify.
  2. Check out the low-cost clinics listed in your state, below (more clinics to be added soon! In the meantime, if you don't see one listed in your state/area, try an Internet search).
  3. Ask your vet if they accept Care Credit, a credit card for health and veterinary care. To learn more about Care Credit, visit www.carecredit.com/
  4. Scratchpay is a payment plan for veterinary bills. It is not a credit card, so it using it won't affect your credit score and it's easier to get approved. Your vet must be registered with Scratchpay, so be sure to inquire with them about it before applying.

Financial Aid Opportunities and Low-Cost Clinics

​
​National Organizations
  • Animal Guardian Society - 310-652-8618
  • The Big Hearts Fund (heart disease specific)​
  • Brown Dog Foundation​
  • Cat & Dog Rescue Association - 877-772-9738 
  • Cats in Need of Human Care - 909-780-2083 | 909-622-0121 | 909-623-5981 
  • Companion Bridge
  • The Dog and Cat Cancer Fund
  • Diabetic Cats in Need
  • Feeding Pets of the Homeless
  • Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (for vaccine-associated sarcoma treatment)​
  • For the Love of Alex (for medical emergencies)
  • Frankie's Friends
  • Friends & Vets Helping Pets (for life-saving treatments)
  • God's Creatures Ministry Veterinary Charity
  • Guinness Dunn Foundation (emergency vet bill assistance)
  • Handicapped Pets (wheelchairs)
  • Harley's Hope
  • Help-A-Pet
  • Hope Mending Hearts (urgent cases only)​
  • Joshua Louis Animal Cancer Foundation
  • Live Like Roo Foundation (cancer treatment)
  • Lucy the Rescue Dog Inc.
  • Magic Bullet Fund (cancer-specific)
  • Molly's Hope
  • Oscar's Cause
  • The Mosby Foundation
  • The Onyx & Breezy Foundation
  • PAWS
  • PAWS 4 A Cure​
  • Pet Assistance Inc.
  • The Pet Fund
  • The Pet Lifeline Program
  • RedRover Relief
  • Rose's Fund​
  • RUFF
  • Saving Gracie (for emergency treatment)
  • SpayUSA​
  • Tipper & Squirt Care for Cushings Fund
  • Violet's Friends Fund
  • Waggle (crowd funding platform for pets)
State-specific Organizations / Clinics
CALIFORNIA
  • ACME Foundation (vet care assistance for senior and disabled pet owners) (Lake County)
  • Actors and Others for Animals (Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange and Ventura County)
  • ​Affordable Vet Referral Service (Orange County, Bay Area, surrounding areas)
  • Amazing Small Animal Practice (Gardena)
  • Animal Assistance League of Orange County
  • Animal Health Foundation Angel Fund (Los Angeles & Orange County)
  • Animal Medical Center (Fountain Valley)
  • Better Together Forever (Los Angeles County)
  • Central California SPCA (Fresno)
  • Community Animal Medicine Project (Los Angeles County)
  • Compassion Without Borders (Northern CA)
  • FACE Foundation (San Diego County)
  • Haven Humane Society (Redding)
  • Hope Animal Foundation (Fresno)
  • Keep Your Pet (Sacramento)
  • Mercy Pet Hospital (Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks)
  • P.A.C.E. (pet care assistance for senior pet owners) (Los Angeles)
  • Palo Alto Humane Society (see website for eligible locations)
  • PALS (support for those with AIDS) (Sonoma County)
  • PAWS/LA (support for those with AIDS, seniors, and veterans) (Hollywood)
  • PAWS San Francisco (San Francisco)
  • Pet Orphans of Southern California (Van Nuys)​
  • Placer SPCA SOS Program (Placer County)
  • The Sam Simon Foundation Free Surgery Clinic (Los Angeles)
  • Rio Linda Feral Help Group (Rio Linda)
  • Sammie's Friends (Nevada County)
  • San Francisco SPCA Animal Hospital
  • ​SNPLA (Los Angeles County)
  • Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (Contra Costa County)
  • Valley Animal Center (Fresno)
  • Vet SOS (San Francisco)
  • Voice for the Animals Foundation (Southern CA)
COLORADO
  • Animal Friends Alliance
  • The Cartwright Foundation/Ginger's Legacy (Denver/Front Range region)
  • Cat Care Society (list of local vet clinics with discounted prices) (Lakewood)
  • Colorado State University Pets Forever Program (Larimer County)
  • For Pets' Sake Humane Society (emergency care) (Cortez)
  • League for Animals and People of the Summit (Summit County)
  • Pet Aid Colorado (low cost hospital) (Denver)
connectict
  • Connecticut Humane Society (low cost clinic) (Newington)
  • STARelief and Pet Assistance (statewide)
delaware
  • Delaware Humane Society (Wilmington)
  • Delaware SPCA (New Castle and Sussex County)
D.C.
  • Fetch A Cure (cancer)
  • Humane Rescue Alliance Medical Center
  • PETS-DC
Florida
  • Animal Welfare Society of South Florida (Miami)
  • Central Brevard Humane Society (Cocoa)
  • First Coast No More Homeless Pets, Inc. (Jacksonville)
  • Humane Society of Pinellas (Clearwater)
  • Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River Co
  • Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando (Orlando)
  • Shakespeare Animal Fund (Alachua County)
  • St. Francis Animal Hospital (Jacksonville)
  • The Pet Project (Oakland Park)
  • You Can Make a Difference, Inc. (Gadsden County)
georgia
  • Lifeline Animal Project (Chamblee)
  • PALS Atlanta
  • SurgiPet (Lawrenceville)
illinois
  • Animal Care League (Oak Park)
  • Animal Welfare League - Low-cost Clinic (Springfield)
  • The Anti-Cruelty Society: Chicago
  • National Animal Welfare Society (Mokena)
indiana
  • The Monroe County Humane Association
kansas
  • Humane Society of Greater Kansas City (low-cost clinic)
Louisiana
  • Southern Animal Foundation low-cost clinic (New Orleans)
maryland
  • Anne Arundel County SPCA (vaccines)​
  • Baltimore Humane Society (low-cost clinic)
  • Bowie CLAW (Bowie) 
  • Fetch A Cure (cancer) (statewide)
  • Frederick County Humane Society
  • Humane Society of Charles County (Waldorf)
  • Paw Prints Animal Hospital (low-cost clinic)(Waldorf)
  • Spay Now (low-cost clinic) (Laurel)
massachusetts
  • Angell Animal Medical Center (multiple locations)
  • Dakin Humane Society (Leverett and Springfield)
  • Phinney's Friends
  • The Sampson Fund (Cape Cod and the Islands)
minnesota
  • Animal Care Foundation (Edina)
  • Minnesota Humane Society (statewide)
  • Mission Animal Hospital (low-cost clinic)(near Minneapolis)
  • PetCare of Duluth (low-cost clinic)
missouri
  • Humane Society of Missouri (St. Louis and Maryland Heights)
montana
  • Kootenai Pets for Life (Troy/Libby)
nevada
  • Hearts Alive Village (Las Vegas)
  • ​Shakespeare Animal Fund (Northern Nevada)
  • The Animal Foundation (Las Vegas)
new jersey
  • New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance (statewide)
  • PetPALS of Southern New Jersey
  • Save U.S. Pets Foundation (see website for participating vet clinics/locations)
new mexico
  • Animal Humane Association of New Mexico (low-cost clinic) (Albuquerque)
new york
  • ALL 4 PETS (Western New York)
  • Rochester Hope for Pets
  • NY SAVE, Inc.
  • The Shamrock Animal Fund (Syracuse and Central New York)
north carolina
  • Friends of Madison County Animals (Madison County) 
ohio
  • The Bummer Fund (Columbiana, Mohoning, and Trumbull County)
  • Jake Brady Memorial Fund (statewide)
  • MedVet Good Sam Fund (Columbus and Cincinatti)
  • Pets in Need of Greater Cincinnati (low-cost clinic)
oklahoma
  • Animal Birth Control Clinic (Lawton) (low-cost clinic)
oregon
  • DoveLewis Velvet Assistance Fund
  • Pro-Bone-O (low/no-cost clinic) (Eugene)
pennsylvania
  • Animal Care & Assistance Fund (Southwestern PA)
  • Humane Animal Rescue (Pittsburgh) 
  • Humane Society of Harrisburg Area
  • Sam's Hope (Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia County)
  • Washington Area Humane Society (Eighty Four)
rhode island
  • RIVMA Companion Animal Foundation
south carolina
  • Pet Helpers (low-cost clinic) (Charleston)
tennessee
  • Alice Fund (Hamilton County)
  • Pet Community Center (low-cost clinic) (Nashville)
texas
  • Capper and Chris Save the Animals Fund 
  • Freeman-Fritts Vet Clinic (low-cost clinic) (Kerrville)
  • Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine (veterinary care assistance)
utah
  • Pet Samaritan Fund (Salt Lake County)
virginia
  • Angels of Assisi (discounted medications)
  • Animal Welfare League of Arlington
  • Fetch A Cure (cancer) (statewide)
  • Helping Hands Affordable Veterinary Surgery and Dental Clinic (Richmond)
  • Prince William SPCA (low-cost clinic) 
  • Richmond SPCA (reduced-cost hospital)
  • Virginia Beach SPCA
wASHINGTON
  • Concern for Animals (Thurston, Mason, and Lewis County)
  • Doney Coe Pet Clinic (non-emergency)
  • PAWS of Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap
  • Seattle Humane Society
  • WAIF
  • Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine Good Samaritan Fund
wisconsin
  • WisCARES (low/no-cost clinic) (Madison)

You can also find low-cost vet clinics and financial aid options via pets.findhelp.com. 


​​There are numerous other organizations in each state that offer assistance with covering vet bills, as well as assistance with spay/neuter costs, cat food, litter, and vaccine costs.

In addition to these organizations, it is sometimes possible to reach an agreement with your vet. If you are a long-time client in good standing, some vets will agree to a weekly or monthly payment plan. Another option is to offer to complete tasks at the clinic, such as cleaning kennels, answering phones, or various other jobs to help work off your bill.

Sometimes it is wise to get a second opinion. While this will cost some additional money up front, another vet may have alternative, less costly ways to treat your cat. If you live in a big city, try using a vet in a less expensive area. In smaller towns, vets will often charge lower fees.

You can also research veterinary schools in your area. Many schools run low-cost clinics for clients with limited incomes. Similarly, you can contact your local animal shelter and inquire if they have a low-cost onsite vet clinic or work with local vets who agree to lower their prices. Some shelters also have loan or grant programs.   

If using a credit card is an option, speak to your bank about a limit increase or loan options. Care Credit is a credit card designed specifically for medical expenses, including your pets, and is accepted by many veterinarians. It also offers a variety of payment options that could be helpful in a time of need. Similarly, Scratchpay is an online payment plan for vet costs. Scratchpay pays the clinic upfront, and then you make payments to them. However, your clinic must be registered with Scratchpay so be sure to confirm this first. Some organizations, such as RedRover, allow you to apply for financial aid to help alleviate the costs associated with your vet bills.

Another option is to start a crowd funding page using sites like GoFundMe or YouCaring.

Finally, while it won’t help your current situation, it would be smart to consider enrolling in a pet health insurance plan to help with any future medical expenses.
 
 
References 
Having trouble affording veterinary care? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care
PetMD. (2018, September 19). PetMD. Retrieved from https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/5-ways-pay-vet-costs
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  • Home
    • About ACR >
      • Our Team
      • History
      • Board of Directors
      • Email Sign-up
      • Financial Information
    • ACR in the Press
    • ACR Publications
    • Adoptions >
      • Adoption Application
      • Advice for Adopters
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
    • Partnerships
  • Action Alerts
    • The Feral Fix
    • Spay Neuter Pledge
    • No Declaw Pledge
  • Spay/Neuter
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • Community Cats
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • Trap-Neuter-Return >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Resources
      • Introduce TNR to Your Shelter
      • Solutions to Common Complaints
    • CAT Action Teams: TNR Groups by State
    • Feral Kittens >
      • What to do if you find kittens
      • Orphaned Kittens
      • Fostering Kittens
    • Providing Shelter
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • How to Adopt Out Cats
    • Protecting Cats During Winter
    • Protecting Cats During Summer
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook 2023 Ed
  • Cat Health
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vet Care Financial Assistance
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • FeLV and FIV
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • FIP
      • Rabies
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Poisonous Hazards >
      • Poisonous Plants
    • Cats and COVID-19
    • Pet Food Banks
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering your cat >
      • Rehoming
    • Introducing Cats
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Lost Cat
  • African Wildcats
    • AWC Conservation Projects
    • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
    • AWC Photo Contest
  • Donate
  • Store