Financial Resources for Affording Pet Care

NOTE: If your animal requires emergency veterinary care and you cannot afford treatment, contact nearby veterinary colleges that may have programs. The closest colleges to Fulton County, NY are Cornell (Ithaca, NY) and Tufts (North Grafton, MA). If you are unsure what qualifies as emergency veterinary care, call your veterinarian and describe the symptoms.

Working with veterinarians

• Negotiate a payment plan with your vet. If you’re a client in good standing, they may be happy to work out a weekly or monthly payment plan. However, a vet you’ve never been to may not agree to such a plan.
• Get a second opinion. You may pay a consultation fee, but another vet may have other, less expensive ways to treat your pet.
• Use a vet in a less expensive area. Vets in smaller towns may charge lower fees.
• Check out local veterinary schools. Many run low-cost clinics for limited income clients.

Fundraising and temporary credit

• Ask if your veterinarian accepts Care Credit, a credit card specifically for health care expenses, including for pets.
• Try a fundraising platform such as GoFundMe, which enables you to create a personal fundraising page.
• Consider Waggle, a pet-dedicated crowdfunding solution that channels funds directly to verified veterinarians for a pet’s care.