The love of a dog or cat or other companion animal is priceless. But their care and upkeep does require some investment, food and veterinary care being among the biggest requirements.
Luckily, more and more food pantries – and even pantries dedicated solely to pets – are stocking food to help pet-owners who are strapped for money or on a fixed income. Vet bills are something else again – they can be unexpected and they can be extremely high. I heard about a woman whose dog needs to see a vet – in desperation, she offered her laptop, her speakers, even her vacuum cleaner as collateral for a loan.
Who wants to have to choose between getting a beloved animal the medical attention he or she needs and letting them suffer or be put down.
Don’t despair. There are ways to get help with a vet bill, from the clinics themselves to charities and grants.
Here are some of the options to tap into:
Talk to Your Veterinarian
- Ask for payment plans: Many clinics offer internal installment plans or services like Sunbit or Varity billing for regular patients.
- Request a tiered treatment plan: Ask the vet to provide a “good, better, best” breakdown of options so you can choose the most critical care.
- Ask about clinic funds: Some offices keep a private donation fund to help clients facing sudden financial hardships
Use Medical Financing Options
- CareCredit: A medical credit card that offers 6 to 18 months of interest-free financing if paid off within the promotional window.
- Scratchpay: A payment plan service that is not a traditional credit card, offering fast online approvals.
- Cherry: Another payment option with fast processing and interest-free plans for emergency or routine care.
Apply for Grants and Charities
- RedRover Relief: Provides urgent care grants for life-threatening veterinary emergencies.
- The Pet Fund: Offers financial assistance for non-basic, urgent veterinary care (such as heart or kidney disease).
- Brown Dog Foundation: Provides emergency treatment grants to help keep pets from going untreated.
- Bow Wow Buddies Foundation: Like Brown Dog Foundation, provides emergency treatment grants to help keep pets from going untreated.
- Magic Bullet Fund: Provides financial support specifically for dogs diagnosed with cancer. [
Explore Low-Cost Alternatives and Crowdfunding
- Local shelters and humane societies: Many regional branches and community clinics offer reduced-cost basic care.
- Waggle: A pet-dedicated crowdfunding platform that pays participating veterinary clinics directly.
- General crowdfunding: Platforms like GoFundMe allow you to share your pet’s story with your social network.
