Financial Assistance Programs for Pet Parents

We believe that no pet should be put up for adoption because of financial hardship. Whether the problem is your income, ability to work, or your pet’s care costs, there are many resources available to help you find financial support to help you care for your pet.

We’ve compiled a list of resources where you can find financial support to help you care for your pet. Programs grow and change all the time. If these don’t apply to you, search your area for pet assistance programs we might have missed.

Pet Medical Care

There are many programs that will help you pay for the medical care your pet needs. These programs are designed to prevent illness and disease from breaking up families and sending sick pets into a broken system.

Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Los Angeles
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Idaho
Illinois
Iowa
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey
New York
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Washington, D.C.
Wisconsin

Cancer and Lymphoma

Along with general medical care programs, there are national programs for the treatment of cancer and lymphoma. These are some of the most expensive and long-term healthcare situations you can encounter, but these programs can save your lives.

Breed Specific Help

People are passionate about breeds to the point they’ve established programs and funds to assist with their care.

Assistance Dogs

Assistance dogs often belong to pet parents whose ability to work is limited. These programs can help you pay for medical care and, in California, routine pet care for your registered service dog.

Animal Rescue

Animal welfare groups registered with the American Humane Association can get help rescuing, caring for, and rehoming abused or neglected animals.

Owner Disability

The following states offer programs to help pet parents with disabilities cover the financial cost of pet parenting:

California
Florida (Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties)
Georgia
Illinois
Michigan
New Jersey
New York
Virginia
Washington
WA DC

Other ways to generate funds for medical care.

Need help having your pet spayed or neutered?

When you bring home your new pet, it’s important to think about all the things that come with that commitment. Making sure your pet is spayed or neutered is one of them—and in some cases, either shelters or adoption organizations may require it as part of the adoption process.

But while those procedures are essential, they’re also expensive. Sedation and staffing costs are often part of the total cost of spaying or neutering a pet, and these can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars per procedure. If you’re worried about how you’ll pay for this essential step in your pet parenting journey, here are some resources that can help.

New York City
Los Angeles
Western North Carolina
PetSmart Charities® (search by location)

You can also contact your local animal shelter or veterinarian to ask about low-cost spay and neuter services in your area. Many clinics hold low-cost events when they can or on a regular basis.