The Washington State Animal Health Foundation offers an important resource intended to help you better serve your clients who struggle with affording important veterinary treatment. It’s called the Vets Helping Pets Fund.
The Vets Helping Pets Fund allows WSVMA members and their associates to advocate for clients in need and receive financial support to be able to provide needed care and treatment for their beloved animal companions. Many families struggle to afford care and our goal is to create a robust partnership with veterinarians to not only address this issue but help bridge that gap in care. We have created a simple application form and a set of guidelines to help with case-selection. All we ask in return is for you to help us connect with these families so their stories and the power of their bond can be shared with our community.
Here’s a Happy Tail about Dobby who benefitted from Vets Helping Pets.
A tough road led sweet Dobby, a 7-year-old Chihuahua, to his forever home. Now his dad – and new best friend – is doing all he can to ensure Dobby gets the essential care he needs to live a full, healthy life.
As a shy pup, Dobby initially had trouble finding his permanent home. And, just when he found his perfect match, he had to face yet another life challenge; surviving being hit by a car. Dobby almost died from this encounter, but luckily he persevered and was only left with the loss of an eye as a reminder of this tragic day. Dad knew his Dobby was quite the trooper who he would make sure lived a comfortable life with all the care he needed.
Fast forward to 2023 and Dobby began to have trouble eating and seemed quite painful. Dad took him to the vet where they shared that little Dobby not only needed his dental, but, due to the condition of his teeth, he would need many dental extractions. While Dobby’s dad had been saving for this important procedure as part of Dobby’s routine healthcare, the cost of the extractions was beyond what he could afford.
Fortunately, with the help of Vets Helping Pets, Poulsbo Marine Veterinary Clinic and his dad, Dobby was able to receive the advanced dental care he so desperately needed and is now on the road to recovery at home with her family.
There are times when pet owners are faced with financial circumstances beyond their control and they do not have the means to pay for their pet’s essential or lifesaving treatment. Vets Helping Pets can be a resource to WSVMA member practices and their clients so companion animals get the care they so desperately need.
What makes this program possible is the generous support of our donors and the veterinary community. Through their generosity, Vets Helping Pets can be there to help provide financial resources when it is needed most. You, too, can be part of this solution by making a donation to the Vets Helping Pets Fund today at wsahf.org.
For more information on this new program, please visit wsahf.org. There you can learn more about this exciting opportunity for Washington veterinarians and families, and access all supporting materials, including the complete guidelines, grant applications and case studies.
The Washington State Animal Health Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit corporation and the charitable arm of the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association. All donations are tax deductible. Donations to support the program can be made conveniently online here.
By Virginia Piper, WSAHF Board Director