Homeless pets often have medical needs which are too costly for animal shelters or rescue groups to pay for without the help of generous veterinarians in your community. Following is a listing of grants whose mission is to help pay for the medical needs of homeless pets and pets whose owners can’t afford their care. Please read the guidelines carefully. Some grants must involve a veterinarian, some are for individuals, etc.
Direct quotes are shown in italics.
In Memory of Magic (IMOM) offers financial aid to individuals and to rescue groups. Financial Aid for Rescue Groups says:
To apply as a rescue group you must be a 501(c)(3). If you are going to apply for financial aid as a rescue group please see “Steps to Financial Aid” in the menu on the left side of your screen. As you read through the qualifications you will see that some do not apply to rescue groups. The same is true with the documents needed.
Established in 1999, HELP-A-PET was organized with a single purpose: to provide financial assistance nationwide for the medical care of pets whose owners are unable to afford the expense. To qualify, your annual income must be below $20,000 for an individual household or $40,000 for a family household (amount varies upon the number of dependents).
Harrison Memorial is the largest not-for-profit animal hospital in Colorado and is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. This hospital is a service of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation and provides services to both individuals and rescue groups. Rescue groups can obtain services at a 35% discount.
Read this page carefully for the criteria. Services at this hospital include:
• Veterinary services to pets of income-qualified clients.
• Vaccination and microchipping clinics in low-income neighborhoods.
• Spay and neuter surgeries, available to the general public.
• Spay and neuter surgeries, trauma services, diagnostic, medical, and surgical services for Denver area shelter or rescue organizations.
The AAHA Helping Pets Fund provides financial assistance through AAHA-accredited veterinary practices for emergency and non-elective veterinary care. According to the site, this fund will help in three types of cases:
• When a pet owner is receiving certain forms of government assistance for low-income individuals
• When a pet owner experiences a temporary financial hardship
• When a veterinary practice acts as a Good Samaritan and no pet owner existsThe Fund does not accept applications from individuals. Only AAHA-accredited veterinary practices can apply for a grant on behalf of the pet in need. Assistance is limited to $700 per AAHA-accredited practice per calendar year. The maximum available to each family is $500 per year and $1000 lifetime.
You’ll need to locate AAHA accredited veterinary practices to get a grant from this fund.
The Handicapped Pets Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to the health and well-being of elderly, disabled, and injured pets. Go to this website if you know a pet needing mobility equipment to learn how to get a grant.
United Animal Nations offers these two grants specifically for veterinary expenses:
LifeLine Rescue and LifeLine Individual
• LifeLine Rescue Grant: To help a rescued animal that has been recently (within one month) taken from a life-threatening situation.
• LifeLine Individual Grant: To help pets with a responsible owner who cannot afford the cost of urgent and lifesaving care.LifeLine Crisis Relief Grants for Organizations
These grants help deserving grassroots animal welfare organizations that have jumped in to assist with an animal emergency involving a group of animals.
Medical Equipment Grant Guidelines from Maddie’s Fund explains that
Maddie’s Fund® offers grants to adoption guarantee shelters for the purchase of new medical equipment. Any adoption guarantee shelter that is located in the U.S. and employs at least one full-time veterinarian (not an equivalency) who spends at least 50% of his/her time caring for the animals in their shelter is eligible to apply.