All of us pet owners consider the animals in our house as our family members. And we face emotional distress if we can’t arrange proper treatment for our pets, mainly due to poor financial conditions. However, I’ve found many cheap vets near me that helped me to get proper but affordable treatment for my pet.
From charitable trusts to NGOs, from pet welfare centers to animal rescue groups, there are many organizations available from where you can get financial aid for your pet’s treatment.
So, I’ve curated a list of 25 such establishments to help you get proper treatment for your pet. Read on!
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10 Ways To Get Cheap Vets Near Me
It is not easy to get a vet that charges on a dime! Pet care is costly these days, and you need to look for alternative ways to reduce the overall cost of the treatment.
So, here are the ten tested ways I tried when I looked for cheap vets near me.
1. Take Free Vet Care From Animal Shelters
Many people prefer to adopt a dog from shelters rather than buying one from a breeder. But not many people know that you can even get free medical assistance for your adopted dog from the shelter itself.
Most shelters offer free vet care for up to 4 weeks of adoption. Even if they don’t provide a free medical service, they can surely arrange cheap vets for your adopted dog or cat.
Besides, you also don’t need to get your pet vaccinated, as shelters will take care of it for free. On a different note, if you are compassionate about animals, you can try several animal rescue jobs this year.
2. Local Animal Welfare Groups
I found the local animal welfare groups the most helpful when looking for cheap vets near me. You can get various services for free from these groups – from spaying to neutering.
Besides, welfare organizations like ASPCA also often run local campaigns to help pets in need. However, most of these groups run their medical and vaccination camps at certain times of the year.
So, you need to plan accordingly to get a slot for your pup. You can track those groups on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.
3. Veterinary Colleges
Most veterinary colleges have a veterinary hospital with it where vet students and doctors take care of the animals in trouble.
And in most colleges, these hospitals are run with government aid to provide free medical treatment for animals. You get the most experienced doctors in these colleges.
You can visit the website of the American Veterinary Medical Association to learn about all the nearby veterinary hospitals and colleges that are now offering free treatment facilities.
But don’t forget to call them beforehand as you might need to obtain a reservation before physically appearing there.
4. Veterinary Healthcare Chains
The VCA is a veterinary healthcare chain that now has more than 1,000 veterinary hospitals and pet care centers throughout the United States and Canada.
And these centers offer full-service care for your pet. Besides, you can get a free checkup for the first time you visit these centers. You can get a subscription from these centers for your pet starting at as low as $25 a month.
And with that subscription, you can get vaccines, neutering, and other animal care services. However, you need to make an appointment at least 24 hours before your visit.
5. Try Your Local Vets
Nothing can be better than getting assistance from your local vet. Veterinarians are generally quite compassionate towards animals.
And they will surely lend you a helping hand if your pet is in dire need of medical attention. I found a low-cost vet that way looking for cheap vets near me.
But don’t hesitate to tell the doctor about your financial condition. Besides, you can even ask if there is any part-payment plan or EMI facilities available or not.
And if you can make a good rapport with your local vet, you can also get free pet medicines from their stocks.
6. Take A Wellness Plan
Wellness plans are not just available for humans these days, as many insurance companies have already launched wellness plans for pets.
And you can get preventive care and a full-service medical facility through those wellness plans. It will cost you around $20 to $50 per pet.
Lemonade is one of the best insurance companies in the USA that now offer wellness plans for animals. It has medical coverage in 36 states, and you can choose any vet of your choice to get your animals treated.
Although a typical plan starts from $25/pet, you can get a 5% discount for multi-pet plans.
7. Find Cheaper Meds
Vets are not the only ones you need to pay a hefty amount of money, as pet medicines are equally costly. And if you can’t find any cheap vet, you need to cut the cost of the medicine to ensure some savings from the overall treatment.
As different pharmacies offer different prices, you can check and compare the pricing of pet medicines on websites like PetCareRx, 1-800-PetMeds, and PharmacyChecker.
Besides, you can even get a GoodRx prescription discount card to get medicines at a discounted price. You can even get discounted pet medicines from retail stores like Walmart and Sam’s Club.
8. Get Discounted Vet Coupons
Do you know that animal care centers often run discount campaigns to get new clients?
And when I first looked for cheap vets near me, I contacted all the vet care centers in my vicinity to check if they had any newsletter plans. And with this plan, you can get timely updates about the discounts your local vets offer.
You may not believe it, but many of these pet care centers offer up to 50% discounts at certain times of the year. Besides, you can also find discount coupons on websites like Groupon and LivingSocial.
9. Take Help From Charities
There are thousands of organizations and charities operating all over the world that take proactive steps to protect and help animals in need.
If you are facing financial issues paying medical bills for your pet, you must contact these charities. And these charities offer jobs working with animals as well.
All these charitable organizations don’t discriminate, as you can seek medical care without worrying about the breed, age, or vaccination profile of your pet.
You can check the list of pet care organizations published by the Humane Society of the United States to know about these charities.
10. Be Proactive
Prevention is better than cure, isn’t it? I took care of my pets the best way possible, even before I searched for cheap vets near me.
Spaying and neutering your pet can lower the risk of several diseases in cats and dogs. Besides, you must take your pet for a full-body checkup each year.
You also need to pet-proof your house to eliminate any food that can harm your pet. Besides, you need to take care of your pet’s diet plan.
On a different note, you can also run a pet care center, as it is one of the money-making hobbies that pay this year.
15 Organizations Offering Cheap Vets Near Me
There are many charitable trusts, NGOs, and animal welfare groups in most developed countries that offer pet-care aid to families in need.
So, to help you find those trusts and NGOs, I’ve made a complete list of such organizations when I looked for cheap vets near me.
1. Paws 4 A Cure
Paws 4 A Cure is one of the best non-profit organizations currently active in the United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
It is dedicated to helping families to get proper medical care for their pets. From injuries to diseases, this organization will arrange everything, although they will not give you aid for routine care.
However, your pet must be under the medical care of an accredited vet, or your pet must be under a payment plan to get assistance from this organization. So, it is better to contact them beforehand to know all the formalities.
2. Pet Fund
Pet Fund is another charitable organization that helped me when I looked for cheap vets near me. This trust mainly assists pets with cancer treatment and various critical treatments for chronic conditions.
However, your pet must not need urgent care to get help from this establishment.
You need to understand that this trust will not help you if your animal met with an accident or have a broken limb, as it will only take care of critical illnesses.
Besides, you must also forward your application while having an ample amount of time in your hand.
3. Magic Bullet Fund
One of the most trusted pet charities, Magic Bullet Fund, has already helped more than 20,000 dogs and cats to get proper medical treatment. And since 2005, this organization has assisted more than 700 families.
This organization mainly provides financial aid for cancer care. And you can avail completely free cancer treatment for your pets from this trust.
However, they will only provide you with financial help for first-line cancer treatment. And you can’t use that money for palliative care or euthanasia. Besides, you may also need to submit the full medical case study beforehand to get the aid.
4. AVMF
AVMF is a veterinary care charitable fund that provides financial support for pet treatment while partnering with veterinary clinics and pet care centers.
It offers discounted treatment from accredited vet centers. And if you are below the poverty level, you can even get your pet treated for free.
However, you must get your pet treated at a participating veterinary hospital to get the aid, as this establishment doesn’t provide direct cash support.
You can find the complete list of participating animal hospitals and pet care centers by visiting its website.
5. IAADP
IAADP is another organization that I first got to know about when I first searched for cheap vets near me. It is a government-backed program that mainly helps guide, hearing, or service dogs.
So, if you have any therapy dog or service dog in your house, you can avail free treatment.
However, you can’t directly apply for this grant, as your vet needs to apply for it with complete medical reports on behalf of you.
So, you need to check if the pet center you are visiting is a partner of IAADP or not. You can get the complete list on its website.
6. Pet Assistance, Inc.
If your beloved pet is facing any life-threatening situation, you must contact Pet Assistance, Inc. It is a charitable trust that mainly works towards the benefit of pets in critical care.
Even if this organization can’t offer you a grant for some reason, you’ll surely get the proper guidance from it. You can get referrals to low-cost vets in your locality.
Besides, you can also get an estimate from them. But, in most cases, they offer direct financial assistance to the families. And to get it, you need to send them the complete medical portfolio at getapet@gmail.com.
7. Cooper’s Legacy Foundation
Cooper’s Legacy Foundation can provide financial assistance to families having companion pets, such as cats and dogs.
However, this organization solely operates and caters to the need of families living in Washington and Idaho. Your pet also needs to be licensed with a proper microchip to get monetary aid.
It will be best if you can submit a denial letter from Care Credit or similar agencies. However, you can’t use the grand from this establishment for any pre-screening or routine checks. You can’t also use it for neutering, vaccination, and euthanasia.
8. Frankie’s Friends
Frankie’s Friends is a charitable trust from where you can get financial help for the treatment of your pet.
If your pet is facing any life-threatening condition or is in critical care, the chance of getting the financial grant will significantly increase. However, your pet must have a fair chance of returning to good health.
You need to submit the complete medical report along with the application form. And if they find it credible, they will provide you funds for up to $500. However, you must check out the eligibility, application instruction, and requirements on its website.
9. Dylan’s Hearts
Dylan’s Hearts is a reputed charitable trust I found while looking for cheap vets near me. It provides both free and low-cost veterinary assistance to animals in need.
However, they provide funding depending on the severity of the illness and the survival chance of your pet.
You need to submit proof of your income. Besides, you must also submit a detailed medical report of your pet from any certified vet to get financial aid.
However, you can’t directly submit an application, as the veterinarian will need to do it on your behalf.
10. Harley’s Hope Foundation
If you belong to a low-income group, you can get financial help for the treatment of your pet from the Harley’s Hope Foundation. You can get grants for all the emergency care, critical care, and surgeries of your pet.
Besides, you can get financial aid for behavioral or specialty training as well. However, you need to submit your income proof along with the complete medical case history of your pet to apply for this grunt.
And your pet must have a fair chance of recovery to get it. On a different note, this organization exclusively operates in the USA.
11. Friends and Vets Helping Pets
If your monthly income is less than 200% of the poverty guideline stipulated by the US government, you can get financial aid for pet treatment from Friends and Vets Helping Pets.
It is a charitable organization that helps pet parents living below the poverty line in the states.
You need to submit income proof to become eligible for this grant. However, you may not get the complete fund from this organization, as you must contribute equally. But this organization can also help you find low-cost vets in your locality.
12. FluffyRX
As pet parents, we all know that medications for your pet are equally costly as the treatment itself. And we need to spend a significant chunk of our hard-earned money to buy those expensive medicines.
But all thanks to FluffyRX, you can purchase affordable pet medicine at discounted prices. You can download the FluffyRX app on your mobile to learn about all the discounted stores in your locality.
Besides, you can even get help from like-minded people on this forum. You can also buy a prescription discount card from this company to get additional discounts.
13. Pit Bulls Against Misinformation
Pit Bulls are the most misunderstood dog breed in the world; there is no doubt about it! However, they are just gentle giants that need equal care and compassion like any other animal.
Many people now also run Pit Bull creches, as it is among the fun jobs that pay well. You can now get financial help from Pit Bulls Against Misinformation if your dog needs urgent care.
However, your pet must have at least a 70% chance of survival to get financial aid. You can get the grant faster if you can submit a Care Credit denial letter along with your application.
14. Mosby Foundation
Mosby Foundation is another excellent charitable trust I found while looking for cheap vets near me. But you can only get financial aid from this organization if your pet is already neutered or spayed.
And you must have to submit the certificates of neutering along with your application.
However, this charitable trust will not help you if your pet is in an emergency situation or needs emergency surgery.
Besides, the grant is only allotted once per household. So, you may not get complete financial aid if you have multiple pets in your house.
15. Red Rover Relief
Not just financial assistance, you can even get medical resources and emotional support from this charitable trust called Red Rover Relief. You can get a grant for up to $200 in a single go!
However, this establishment only caters to the people living below the poverty line. You need to submit a detailed medical report and the complete case study along with your income proof to get the financial aid.
And this organization usually responds within two business days. However, you can check the other formalities on its website.
What Can You Do If You Cannot Afford Veterinary Care?
If you can’t afford veterinary care for your pet, as it is extremely expensive these days, you should start by applying to various charities working towards the betterment of animals.
You can get a complete list of charities and NGOs working in the pet sector on The American Humane Society’s website. Even if you can’t find free veterinary centers or pet-care centers in your locality, you can surely get some referrals from that list.
You can also apply to pet welfare trusts such as FACE, that primarily works to eliminate any instance of economic euthanasia. And if you have an elderly or specially-abled dog, you can get medical funds from NGOs like The Shakespeare Fund.
You can also contact your local shelters and animal rescue groups to know if they can arrange some funds for your pet. Alternatively, you can try to get some quick cash for your pet’s treatment, as I always try several side hustles as I need money now.
Conclusion
It is always better to take care of your pet properly to ensure the good physical and emotional health of your goofball.
You must take your pet for routine checks, as early detection of any disease can save a lot of money and emotional trauma. Besides, early detection will also help you to process your applications faster with various charitable organizations.
It is also better to be in contact with your local vets as you’ll get proper guidance and pre-disease support quite easily. And I also did that same while looking for cheap vets near me.
FAQs
How Can I Help My Sick Dog if I Have No Money?
Ask your vet or the pet care center if they have any payment plan or monthly payment facility available.
Besides, you can take your pet to the nearby veterinary college, as those centers offer free treatment for animals. You can also take assistance from charitable organizations and animal welfare groups.
Will a vet see a dog without money?
Most vets are extremely compassionate towards animals. And there is a high chance that a vet will treat your pet for free if you are truly in an unsound financial condition to afford a treatment.
Besides, there are several charitable veterinary centers that can also treat your pet for free.
Does SPCA treat animals for free?
SPCA, or Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is an organization that primarily works towards the betterment of animals and their living conditions.
And this government-backed organization also offer free treatment to pets in serious medical condition.
Can you get help with vet bills on benefits?
Many such charitable trusts, NGOs, and animal welfare groups exist in different parts of the world that can help you to get some financial assistance for the vet bills.
However, in most cases, your vet needs to submit an application to get the grand on your behalf.
Hello there, I’m Siva Mahesh, an MBA Finance post-graduate and a Remote Career & Personal Finance blogger for 5+ years. Over the years, my work has been featured on US News, Entrepreneur, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates, EverQuote, Legal Zoom, The Simple Dollar, Databox, Business.com, Business News Daily, Venngage, Score.org, and more. My primary mission is to help our readers maximize their earning potential with legitimate online business ideas, side hustles, and passive income ideas we publish on Dreamshala. Currently, more than 100,000 readers from all around the world visit this blog every month and learn new ways to improve their finances.