The Pet Fund - For Applicants Interested in Applying for Funds

FOR APPLICANTS INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR FUNDS

1. To Begin Your Application

The following application for individuals seeking funding from The Pet Fund is now available online only. To begin your application, please read over the following information carefully:

ALL applicants are required to contact The Pet Fund by phone BEFORE applying for funding. Call 916-443-6007. This way, we can ensure that all applicants are aware of both the current wait list time and the eligibility requirements for applying for financial assistance.

Please note – we are not able to fund emergencies. Unfortunately we have a chronic wait list for funding, due to the large number of applicants to our fund. IF YOU ARE HAVING AN EMERGENCY, STOP HERE - THE PET FUND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HELP. PLEASE REFER TO THE “FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES” AND “LINKS” PAGES OF THE PET FUND WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING RESOURCES.

A. Next Step

Applications for veterinary care funding can ONLY be done online from a computer with a printer. The ONLY exception to this rule will be for persons with severe disabilities who are either homebound or who cannot leave their home without assistance. These individuals can have applications mailed to them with the prior permission of The Pet Fund staff only. All other mailed applications or letters requesting help will be returned to the senders unopened.

If you do not have a computer with internet access you will need to go to your local library, which will have computers, printers, and internet access available. Alternatively, you can ask your veterinarian’s office for assistance, or you can ask friends or family members to assist you.

B. Rules For Applying

Please note – no contributions are EVER given directly to individuals. The Pet Fund ONLY sends funding directly to the treating veterinarians ONLY IF your application is approved and treatment is scheduled. Funding resources are limited, and the Pet Fund makes every effort to use limited funds in the most responsible way. The Pet Fund does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, or race. The Pet Fund reserves the right to deny funding to anyone for any reason. Please read the complete application agreement for details of the application process.

C. Before You Start

After you have spoken with Pet Fund staff and it has been determined that you may be eligible to apply for funding, you will need to have the following items available to help you complete the financial portion of the online application. We advise that you gather this information together before you begin your online application. Once you have started the online application, you will not be able to return at a later time to complete it. You will have to start over from the beginning with your online application for funding. Collect the following:

Proof of income - This can be a copy of a check stub, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, etc. The proof of income must be recent, and we cannot use tax forms for this purpose.
Copy of a written cost estimate for the needed procedures and/or treatment from your veterinarian.
Name, address, and medical license number for your treating veterinarian. This will be included on your online application form. If you do not have this information available, wait to fill out your online application until you have obtained this information.