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Here is a list of organizations who can help owners that cannot afford vet

care. A couple are for rescue organizations and homeless pets.



American Animal Hospital Association

http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/home/

"The heartbreak happens all too often ? a pet owner is unable to

afford treatment and their sick or injured companion animal pays the

price. If the owner is elderly, disabled or on a fixed income, the

cost of care may be too much of a stretch for their pocketbook.

Perhaps they have been victimized by crime, property loss or a job

layoff and are experiencing a temporary financial hardship ? making it

too difficult to afford pet care. And some animals, brought to clinics

by Good Samaritans, don't have an owner to pay for treatment. Whatever

the situation, the fact remains the same: When sick or injured animals

are unable to receive veterinary care, they suffer. Through the AAHA

Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is possible for sick or injured

pets even if they have been abandoned or if their owner is

experiencing financial hardship."



Angels 4 Animals

www.Angels4Animals.org

"Angels4Animals, a non-profit organization and a program of Inner

Voice Community Services, has a mission to serve as the guardian

angel of animals whose caretakers find themselves in difficult

financial situations. At Angels4Animals we believe that animal owners

should not have to say goodbye to the animals that they love. Our

work is accomplished in conjunction with veterinary clinics across

the country, eager to assist as many animals, and their owners, as

possible. Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment

to those pets and pet owners in need."



Care Credit

www.carecredit.com

A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care.

"CareCredit, the leader in patient/client financing, has helped more

than 3 million patients/clients get the treatment or procedures they

needed and wanted. With a comprehensive range of plan options, for

treatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan

and a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every

budget."



Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)

http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/

"The NEED & The HELP: Seniors, People with disabilities, People who

have lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten - any

of these folks may need financial assistance to save a beloved

companion."



The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501

(c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and

kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save

their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.



Help-A-Pet

http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html

"Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the

working poor. For lonely seniors, physically/mentally challenged

individuals and children of working parents, pets represent much more

than a diversion."



IMOM

http://www.imom.org

"Mission Statement:

Helping people help pets. 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."



The Pet Fund

http://thepetfund.com/

"The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that

provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need

urgent veterinary care. Often animals are put down or suffer

needlessly because their owners cannot afford expensive surgery or

emergency vet visits. Companion animal owners must often make the

difficult decision to put an animal down or neglect urgent medical

needs because of the costs involved. The purpose of the Pet Fund is

to work towards a future where decisions about companion animal

medical care need never be made on the basis of cost."



United Animal Nations

http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html

"The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued

animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require

specific and immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serve

Good Samaritans and rescue groups who take in sick or injured

animals. In certain cases, LifeLine can also assist senior citizens

and low-income families pay for immediate emergency veterinary care."



UK Assistance with Veterinary Bills

http://www.petloversonline.co.uk/financial.htm

"Most of us can cope with the financial commitment involved in the

day to day care of our pets. However, how many of us come out in a

cold sweat when our pet is ill or injured and we know we have to take

it to the vet? Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to afford

it but, some of us who love our animals dearly cannot. Unfortunately

we do not have a PDSA or a RSPCA Centre within our area, but there

are a few charities who may be able to help."



Other Groups Who are Breed or Injury Specific:



Corgi Aid

http://www.corgiaid.org/



Dachshunds Needing IVDD surgery

http://members.rushmore.com/~dds/applyforhelp.htm





HandicappedPets.com

http://www.handicappedpets.com/Articles/help/

"From time to time, HandicappedPets.com recognizes a caretaker of

handicapped pets that need some special attention, and a little extra

help. There are those who are so selflessly dedicated to their animal

families that they give up a little more than they can afford."



Labrador Lifeline

http://www.labradorlifeline.org/success/2005-abbey.htm



LabMed: Rx For Rescued Labs

http://www.labmed.org/aid_main.html

Clancy wrote: I think that post is worthy of being made a 'sticky' It deserves to be at the top of a headed thread, where members, and visitors can get quick access to the links you've provided. Well done Valerie
I'll second that motion. Some great information there, Val, thanks for putting it out here for folks. Bravo, lady. :yh_clap

Jim Carrey is a dog-catcher in a movie coming out this Christmas.

Good job Valerie.I really enjoyed your post.Lots of very helpful information.

Wonderful links, thanks Val!:)

Thanks for the great links. I plan to add some of them to my favorites.

I thought the 3rd one down said "cars credit", like Cars was going to help us all pay for our vet bills!!



Too bad more people don't know about these organizations, maybe there'd be less dogs neglected.

Too many neglected animals, you want to take them all home when you visit the shelter and rescue centers. I know I had a hard time just taking Hamilton home from the bunny rescue, they had about 30 bunnies there for adoption-every bunny given up by someone who didn't want them anymore.

chonsigirl wrote: Too many neglected animals, you want to take them all home when you visit the shelter and rescue centers. I know I had a hard time just taking Hamilton home from the bunny rescue, they had about 30 bunnies there for adoption-every bunny given up by someone who didn't want them anymore.
Now see, there's something that ticks me off no end. People think, "Awwww, a bunny, they're so cute..." and take them home and find out it is actual WORK to take care of them. That you can't just let them sit in a cage and throw a leaf of lettuce in once in a while.

Thank goodness for people like Chonsi who know what it takes to properly care for the bunnies.

And all the little puppies and kittens, people don't want them when they grow up and you have to train them and take care of them. I get angry over those who do this all the time, get an animal then a few months later "dispose" of them-and darn if a few months later they don't have another one! I know our local Petsmart-and the other animal supply stores-always have rows of animals for adoption. Those are the lucky creatures who hopefully will get a home. But the ones left out in the boonies to go feral, what do you do with them? Made me think of that wild cat by Minks....

chonsigirl wrote: And all the little puppies and kittens, people don't want them when they grow up and you have to train them and take care of them. I get angry over those who do this all the time, get an animal then a few months later "dispose" of them-and darn if a few months later they don't have another one! I know our local Petsmart-and the other animal supply stores-always have rows of animals for adoption. Those are the lucky creatures who hopefully will get a home. But the ones left out in the boonies to go feral, what do you do with them? Made me think of that wild cat by Minks....
I'll tell you just what I think of 99% of pet store puppies: They come from puppy mills. I can't tell you th number of times I've been in a pet store, (I actually hate going into them, but I wander the cages and say out loud, things like, "Pure bred German sheperd, my ASS!!") The stores get them really cheap, (about 15-20 bucks apiece) and sell them for ridiculous amounts. A friend of mine, against my heated, screaming advice paid $900 for a yorkie MIX. Who the hell is dumb enough to pay that kind of money for a MUTT???? I don't understand what these people think they are paying for.

Yup, puppy mills. and kitty mills. I have never gotten a large pet from a pet store-maybe frogs or lizards for my classroom-but my kitties I always get from a family who raises them. And not like a kitty mill either. I always take months until I find the perfect family, then choose a kitty I did pay $300 for my Siamese cat, but that is the going price here.(pretty outrageous, but there are not many of them here) I didn't want one of the angular skinny types, I wanted a nice strong cat like I've always had. A good personality, lots of mischief in the eyes, and raised in a loving home. I found the perfect one this time, the kittens all were taken care of by the teenage son-so my kitty adores my son at home. I met the kitty's parents, and could observe their personalities.

chonsigirl wrote: Yup, puppy mills. and kitty mills. I have never gotten a large pet from a pet store-maybe frogs or lizards for my classroom-but my kitties I always get from a family who raises them. And not like a kitty mill either. I always take months until I find the perfect family, then choose a kitty I did pay $300 for my Siamese cat, but that is the going price here.(pretty outrageous, but there are not many of them here) I didn't want one of the angular skinny types, I wanted a nice strong cat like I've always had. A good personality, lots of mischief in the eyes, and raised in a loving home. I found the perfect one this time, the kittens all were taken care of by the teenage son-so my kitty adores my son at home. I met the kitty's parents, and could observe their personalities.
See? Now SEE??!?!?! THIS is how to go about buying a pet if you're not going to adopt from a shelter. Bravo, chonsi. You know what you're doing. Thank God someone out there does, because I was beginning to think all people going to buy a pet were total idiots.

There was an ad for "Goldendoodles" in the paper yesterday for sale.





$1500 smackeroonis, I'm not joking.



:-5

valerie wrote: There was an ad for "Goldendoodles" in the paper yesterday for sale.





$1500 smackeroonis, I'm not joking.



:-5
People are being totally suckered by these "designer breeds." I choke when I say "breed" because it's NOT A BREED, IT IS A MUTT!!!! Just because someone thought up some cute name to call it, does NOT mean it is a pure-bred dog!!!! You take 2 dogs of different breeds, mate them, and whatever label you slap on them, they are still a mutt. Period. And you know what's worse? When you tell the owners of these dogs what they really have, they get offended!! God forbid they admit they don't know a "labradoodle" from a pure Labrador. :-5 :-5

Totally agree with BR about the puppy mills. It breaks my heart to see these animals when I *know* where they come from. In fact, I can't even go in a chain pet store anymore because I get too sad.

Those so-called designer breeds and the high prices that are charged are a perfect example of 'marketing'.

I love all animals; it's the puppy mill people behind them that p.i.s.s. me off:-5

I used Care Credit when my Spooky needed surgery & to pay for him to finally be put to sleep. I'm glad I had it as an option, because I was broke. But watch out for that interest!!! It was about 25 or 28%!!! I paid it off with my income tax return. They weren't getting all that out of me! When I'd make the minimum payment BEFORE the due date, they were still charging me a finance charge & only putting about $9 of my $25 toward the principal. Would've taken me FOREVER!!!