Financial Assistance for Emergency Vet Care
There is no doubt that family pets are cherished members of the household. Just look at statistics from the American Pet Products Association (APPA), and you'll readily see that our four-legged BFFs might just command as much attention in devotion and dollars as their two-legged brothers and sisters. Every two years, the APPA conducts The Pet Owners' Survey, resulting in a comprehensive report on trends, with dollars-and-cents numbers, amplifying consumer-spending habits for domestic animals. In 2020, pet owners lavished a total of $103.6 billion (yes, with a B) on everything from treats to treatments, of which $31.4 billion went to veterinary expenses, including pharmaceuticals. (That number is projected to creep up to $32.3 billion this year.) The APPA notes that routine veterinary visits for dogs averaged $212 and surgical visits averaged $426; for felines, these veterinary costs were, respectively, $160 and $214 on average.
If those were the only medical bills for care that pet owners incurred, they'd seem like bargains. Alas, seasoned pet guardians know that problems (and worse, emergencies) arise and that even routine medical care can result in bills for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. (Moreover, 29% of U.S. households are multi-pet homes, so those numbers are then multiplied.) If you find yourself in just such a situation and unable to afford your pet's care, please know that?Waggle offers a safety net .
Dealing With Unexpected Emergency Vet Bills
Sudden, unanticipated expenses often leave pet guardians, particularly those in low- and fixed-income households, wondering how to afford medical care for dogs and cats when there are few financial resources, no rainy-day fund and no pet insurance plan to cover all or part of the cost of vet care. And what of cancer treatment or critical care for chronic conditions that require ongoing treatments? Lacking a helping hand to pay for emergency veterinary services, owners may tearfully face what veterinarians refer to as?owner-requested euthanasia?or?economic euthanasia, meaning that a pet, which could have a second chance at life, will be put down solely for financial reasons.
Betsy Banks Saul, a passionate pet advocate and founder of Petfinder, estimates that in the mid-1990s, somewhere between 16 million and 20 million dogs and cats in animal shelters were euthanized. These animals might easily have been adoptable, even with medical conditions that could have been remedied, if only…
Petfinder was able to put a huge dent in that number by showcasing animals in need of furever homes to a wide audience on the internet. Saul notes that countless organizations have harnessed their energies to embrace the no-kill mantra, and as a result of that determined effort, that staggeringly huge number has declined steadily and significantly to 600,000. But that is still 600,000 too many animals lost. Always on the lookout for solutions to pet problems, Saul is also the founder of?911 Foster Pets, which helps animal rescue foundations find foster care for pets until they can be adopted.
Saul estimates that between $8 billion and $14 billion worth of needed health care is not delivered to animals in need. Sadly, that underscores the desperate situation of a pet guardian lamenting, "I simply have no money for veterinary services. Is there financial assistance that can help me with treatment costs?"
Don’t Let the Cost of Care Prevent You From Saving Your Pet
Waggle answers with a resounding "YES!" Our mission is to take a bite out of that 600,000 number, giving thousands of pets a second chance to live out their natural lives. Waggle's CEO and founder, Steven Mornelli, an ardent animal lover and business executive, knew there had to be the "pawsibility" of a second chance for many of these wonderful, innocent animals in life-threatening situations.
"Heartbreaking economic euthanasia is an unacceptable outcome for both the pet guardian and a pet in need," he says. "Finances should not be a barrier to getting the medical attention a pet requires." Mornelli created Waggle as a trusted means to help low-income pet guardians get the financial assistance they need for non-routine veterinary care. Owners who have lost hope can turn to Waggle as a proven resource. Indeed, Waggle has been working tirelessly for nearly five years to offer a viable solution to low- and fixed-income families who need help finding resources to cover their pets' treatment.
Indeed, Waggle has already helped save thousands of pets, having raised hundreds of thousands of dollars on its crowdfunding website for vet bills. "Many clients with financial limitations need their veterinarians to think outside of the box," observes Dr. Gary Block, DVM, MS, DACVIM, owner of Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in Rhode Island. "This includes being familiar with nontraditional funding sources. Waggle gives veterinarians and their clients another way to afford often desperately needed care that can literally make the difference between life and death."
Waggle Helps You Raise Funds for Veterinary Bills
Most crowdfunding platforms are for-profit, but Waggle is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Unlike many other crowdfunding websites, Waggle is dedicated to pets and only pets. Popular crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter and Pozible help creative ideas come to fruition. Others, like JustGiving, promote social causes, and still others, like GoFundMe and Indiegogo, underwrite just about anything.
Moreover, Waggle is a trusted platform with built-in assurances that safeguard against fraudulent campaigns: 100% of donations raised for a particular animal are sent directly to the veterinary clinic, providing total transparency. Donors are assessed an additional 8% above the amount of their campaign contribution to cover operating expenses, and Waggle gently asks for a "tip" to cover transaction costs. This provides Waggle with the financial means to "keep the lights on," so whatever money is raised for a pet goes to that pet's vet bills.
Another Waggle plus: Corporate partners and foundations provide matching funds for many campaigns, turning a $1 donation into $2 and propelling a campaign to its monetary goal more quickly, so that much-needed funds for life-threatening conditions can be realized. Currently, Waggle has established partnerships with nearly three dozen charities and foundations, including Miranda Lambert's MuttNation Foundation, Mayim Bialik, Lil BUB, Maddie's Fund, Eli's Fund, Greater Good Charities, The Riedel & Cody Fund (specifically for cancer care), and World of Labs.
In addition, Waggle works with our blog partners and influencers to bolster a campaign's visibility in order to get it fully funded speedily. For example, we feature needy cats on the Lil BUB site, which has millions of followers. These postings aid pet guardians by bringing many more eyeballs (and dollars) to a campaign more quickly.
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Tessa Rose ?is a yellow Labrador Retriever who needed expensive surgery, an enterotomy. And why? As Tessa Rose herself wrote in her recent Waggle posting (Psst: We think her human helped her pen her campaign.), "I was a naughty girl and got a potato off the table, and it got stuck in my belly." A matching grant from Riedel & Cody enabled Tessa to have that urgent (and successful!) surgery. Her human mom reported: "Our hearts are bursting! We are so unbelievably grateful for the love and generosity we've received.”
Murphy , a Brittany Spaniel mix, presented with another emergency, a tragedy in the making that was averted. Murph, as he is known, tragically needed emergency amputation for an infected, mangled leg. Post-surgery, his adoptive mom sent an update: "Murph has made a complete recovery! We know he is thankful for this SECOND CHANCE as a tripod. We are SO very grateful to everyone who followed/prayed and donated towards his care. … It truly took a village. THANK YOU!”
Posting a campaign on Waggle is simple, with easy-to-follow instructions on the site. Notes Dr. Block of Ocean State, "The Waggle platform and website are intuitive and easy to navigate. We have been able to direct clients to the site to harness the power of crowdfunding for animals in need." To date, Waggle has worked with more than 1,000 vet clinics and rescue organizations nationwide to offer assistance to owners with vet bills for basic care; non-basic, non-urgent care; and critical emergency care.
Be Resourceful With Emergency Pet Care Funds
When you are faced with emergency vet bills, swift action is imperative. Many veterinarians facilitate quick coverage by recommending fast-approval lines of credit specifically designed for medical (and, by extension, veterinary) emergencies, so you can pay for your pet's care over time.
A large percentage of veterinarians will suggest?CareCredit, which differs from a standard credit card company in that it is designed to cover out-of-pocket expenses for health and wellness care that are not underwritten by insurance, covering health care expenses for humans as well as care for pets. CareCredit is a near-instant solution for cash-strapped pet parents so their four-legged family members' time-sensitive health issues are not exacerbated by a ticking clock while they hunt for other options that will take slightly longer to target and mobilize.?Scratchpay?is another instant-approval line of credit, as is?Wells Fargo Health Advantage Veterinary Client Financing.
Make sure you understand the repayment terms. With CareCredit, for example, if you make minimum monthly payments and pay off your balance within six to 24 months, there is no interest on purchases of at least $200. Scratchpay, which doesn't require credit approval, offers what it calls a Take 5 plan that breaks the bill into five biweekly payments, with no interest and no credit check.
Taking out a line of credit and assuming that responsibility when you are on shaky financial ground is a scary commitment, but it may be necessary as you pursue other charitable opportunities. One of these options may be the ideal solution to getting a treatment plan started as you organize your Waggle campaign and apply for financial assistance grants.
Not every Waggle campaign gets funded overnight, but there are countless success stories where an almost-instant happy ending occurs. In February 2020, Lulu , a Poodle mix, found her furever home, but almost immediately, her new parents learned she needed extensive, emergency dental work because of an infection. Facing a possible $2,000 bill for dental surgery, her family launched Lulu's campaign on Waggle and simultaneously posted it on their Facebook page. Generous friends came to Lulu's aid with donations, and Waggle was able to provide matching funds through its partner, Greater Good Charities. The story had a storybook ending, but more importantly, it was a quick one. It took merely 24 hours to raise the money Lulu needed.
Setting up your campaign on Waggle is a breeze, so do that first, so your campaign will already be "working" while you look for other aid.
Nearly every one-time grant requires supporting paperwork: medical treatment plan and estimates or actual bills. Even the most dedicated organizations need time to turn around an application; few charities are as ambitious as the?Sergei Fund?in North Carolina, which states that its turnaround time could be as little as 15 minutes, or within a business day. (And note: Most charities caution that they will not fund a case if the prognosis for recovery is not good.)
Also, most charitable organizations warn that they receive many more requests than they can fund, so it's worthwhile to submit your paperwork to several charities. It can feel daunting, while you are already under stress, but it may be the only way to get the help you need. Additionally, ask your veterinarian about any local nonprofit organizations that fund emergency veterinary care for low-income pet owners. For example, residents of San Diego County can apply to the?Foundation for Animal Care and Education, which helps pet guardians cover emergency medical expenses. In northern Nevada, the?Shakespeare Animal Fund?specifically covers emergencies and even lists a crisis hotline so you can reach the staff when you are desperate to find assistance with emergency veterinary care.
Each of the sites listed below aggregates dozens of funds and nonprofit organizations that could potentially swoop in with a grant and save your pet, but you will need to do some homework to find the right ones. Additionally, check each one's home page or application qualifications, because some of them, such as the highly regarded?Mosby Foundation, state that they are not equipped to respond to emergency situations.
Here are a few resources we often recommend that feature extensive listings worth investigating: