Emergency Vet Care Programs

When you own a dog or cat, a great amount of responsibility goes with it. You have made the commitment to provide the best care for your pets, which includes veterinary care and medical expenses, and that can be costly. In this troubling economy, senior citizens, disabled citizens, people with job loss and people with kind hearts who rescue animals need assistance to provide for their animal companions.

  1. FVEAP

    • Keeping our loving pets healthy

      The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program (FVEAP) is a non-profit organization for felines. The FVEAP is looking for donations so it can continue its work in helping those who need emergency veterinary assistance. Its current fund, called the "Kobi Fund," is for cats with vaccine associated sarcoma (VAS), which is a group of cancers caused by vaccines.

    Humane Society Advice for Veterinary Assistance

    • Our pets need our help to be healthy

      The Humane Society is a good source of information for helping people less fortunate in providing for their pets. No pet owner wants his companion to suffer, ever, but the medical expenses associated with its health may be overwhelming at times. You can seek help for financial assistance in several ways.

      Negotiate an affordable payment plan with your family veterinarian. He or she might be very willing to work with you. If not, perhaps another local vet might be more willing.

      Try the old barter system, such as offering to do a service such as volunteering to clean kennels and floors or answer phones to pay for medical care for your pet.

      Never be afraid to get a second opinion from another veterinarian, should your pet need special care or surgery. You may find that another vet can help your pet at lower cost to you. The best way to find a new veterinarian is through a friend's referral. Also consider a vet located in a smaller town. These vets tend to offer lower fees for their services.

      Check into veterinary schools in your area. They offer services at much lower costs.

      Apply for Care Credit, a credit card specifically for medical needs, including pet medical bills. The company requires little or no interest depending on terms of payment and is accepted by many veterinarians.

      Programs exist for certain dog breeds and for service dogs, according to humanesociety.org. They also provide information on great local assistance programs for you to investigate.

    Banfield Hospitals and PetSmart

    • Find affordable and friendly pet care

      Founded in Oregon in 1955, the Banfield Pet Hospital is one of 750 hospitals across the United States, working in conjunction with PetSmart to offer pet care in many of their stores. Banfield offers optimum service and care for your pet at affordable cost. Contact your local PetSmart to see if any of the stores in your locale offer this type of service, as Banfield's fees are usually much less than many other veterinary hospitals.

    Pet Insurance

    • Coverage for pets

      Another resource may be to look into acquiring pet medical insurance. When your pet is in good health, insurance and medical bills are far from your mind. But illness and accidents can strike your pet without warning. You need to be prepared for the unknown in the best of times so that you'll endure much less stress during the worst of times.