Disabled Pet Resources
Thank you to Tracy Edward with Salt Lake City Children's Network for sending us this great resource for disabled pets!
Financial Aid for Animals
These organizations help save pets by providing financial aid to owners of handicappedpets that cannot afford vet care. Rescue organizations and homeless pets are also aided through these efforts .
PET WHEELCHAIRS:
Handicapped Pets Foundation
The Handicapped Pets Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to extending the life of pets by helping them move and get the exercise they need to live long, happy, healthy lives. They donate wheelchairs to pet caretakers with demonstrated financial need. Online application.
Hailey’s Wheels for Life
https://www.facebook.com/Haileyswheelsforlife/
This not for profit entity in South Australia provides subsidized wheelchairs to rescue groups and those owners in need of financial assistance. The purpose is to encourage an alternative to euthanasia and to prolong the life of an otherwise healthy dog. The outcome is to bring the joy to owners and their dog when those first wheels are turned and to encourage sustained mobility. Contact: haileyswheelsforlife@gmail.com
Gunnar’s Wheels
https://www.facebook.com/Gunnars-wheels-1155089164561706/
Assist owners in providing mobility options to their pets. Gunnar’s Wheels Foundation is a loaner program and carts may be used for the duration they are needed, and then returned to Gunnar’s Wheels Foundation to be refurbished and matched with the next pet in need. Contact: Direct message them through their Facebook page.
Wheeling Superheroes
https://www.wheelingsuperheroes.org/ Wheeling Superheroes is a non-profit organization bringing wheelchairs to pets in need. 100% of public donations directly fund wheelchairs for pets. They believe that every pet on the planet is deserving of a chance to triumph over circumstances beyond their control. They bring wheelchair-assisted zoomies and unbelievable joy back to families. Contact them at: https://www.wheelingsuperheroes.org/contact/
Rescued Rollers
Rescued Rollers is a registered 501(c)3 with a simple mission: To give free or low-cost pet wheelchairs to animal rescue organizations, shelters, and individuals who otherwise cannot afford them (inspired by their experiences with Ranger, their own handicapped Border Collie). For about $70, they can clean, sanitize, refurbish/repair, and ship a donated wheelchair to those in need. They also offer educational programs to the public to teach them how to care for their special needs and senior dogs. Contact them through their website.
Red Flyer
https://www.facebook.com/RedFlyers/
Red Flyer, the original “loaner” wheelchair program, accepts used wheelchairs and loans them at no charge to families of handicapped pets. Their chairs are returned when no longer needed and sent to another specially-abled dog . . . that no pet should be alone or without the gift of mobility; over 400 and counting. “They could all fly once, they can again!” Contact them through their Facebook page.
GENERAL:
Bialy’s Wellness Foundation
http://www.bialyswellnessfoundation.org/
A nonprofit that helps rescue organizations and families care for special needs pets, especially those with mobility issues (paralysis, neurological or birth defects, amputation, and other diagnosed ailments). They provide families and rescues with equipment, rehabilitative therapy, training, medical care, resources, and support to give special needs animals another chance at the good life. Apply here: http://www.bialyswellnessfoundation.org/application/
Waggle
http://waggle.org/about/faq.html
Waggle is the only pet-dedicated crowdfunding platform that partners directly with leading veterinary providers to help pet owners raise funds for needed care. Contact them at: http://waggle.org/contact.html
Care Credit
CareCredit, the leader in patient/client financing, has helped more than 3 million patients/clients get the treatment or procedures they needed and wanted. With a comprehensive range of plan options, for treatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan and a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every budget.
Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)
The NEED & The HELP: Seniors, People with disabilities, People who have lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten – any of these folks may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion.”
The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten caretakers who are unable to afford veterinary services.
The Pet Fund
The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need urgent veterinary care. Often animals are put down or suffer needlessly because their owners cannot afford expensive surgery or emergency vet visits. Companion animal owners must often make the difficult decision to put an animal down or neglect urgent medical needs because of the costs involved. The purpose of the Pet Fund is to work towards a future where decisions about companion animal medical care need never be made on the basis of cost.”
Special Needs Dobermans
Doberman911.org is a website for Special Needs Dobermans (SND). They are an organization of people with a common goal of helping senior and special needs Dobermans. That need may be financial or it may be only information and/or moral support for the owner of a Doberman with a serious illness or injury. They will also aid in re-homing and fostering senior Dobermans. These Dobermans may be shelter rescues or they may already be much loved companions with a special need. Financial aid may be through donations or through avenues such as online auctions. Every precaution will be taken to assure that the need is real.
RedRover Relief
http://www.redrover.org/program/redrover-relief
RedRover Relief provides financial assistance grants and additional resources so pet owners and rescuers can care for animals who need urgent veterinary care. Visit http://www.redrover.org/redrover-relief-grants for eligibility requirements and application. RedRover also offers financial assistance for victims of domestic violence and their pets. To learn more about this program, visit http://www.redrover.org/redrover-relief-domestic-violence-resources.
Other Groups Who are Breed or Injury Specific:
In Canada: The Farley Foundation. The Farley Foundation is a charitable organization, founded in 2001, that subsidizes non-elective medical care for pets of seniors receiving the Federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and persons with disabilities receiving the Ontario Disability Support Payment (ODSP). Farley funding is both applied for, and disbursed through eligible veterinary practices across Ontario. http://www.fborfw.com/features/ffoundation/
Pet Diabetes – for diabetic animals in need
Pet Samaritan Medical fund – based in Colorado
United Animal Nations – Helps homeless or recently rescued animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require specific and immediate emergency veterinary care.
Other Groups Who are Breed or Injury Specific:
Westie Med – Westies in need of medical attention is our Mission – to distribute financial aid to injured or ill rescue Westies.
Please contact HandicappedPets.com if you are aware of other agencies that should be included on this list.
Budget Guide for Pet Owners
The Budget-Friendly Guide to Caring for Your Pet – Adding a pet has financial implications. MoneyGeek.com has created a guide to help people determine whether they can afford a pet with their current finances, the typical one-time and yearly costs of owning an animal, how to save money on pet care, and a variety of other resources on finding the perfect pet for a household.
Pets for Patriots – Resource listing of assistance with veterinary bills for qualifying pet owners.
Pet Insurance
In December 2012 we spoke with several pet insurance companies, asking this question. Here are the answers we received. If you have had any experience with pet insurance companies and dog wheelchairs (or are affiliated with one of the companies), please let us know and we can add the information to this page.
VPI: Covers the cost of wheelchairs except when pre-existing conditions exist.
Purina Care: Does not cover supportive devices at all.
ASPCA: They have four different policies and each policy is per incident. They cover anywhere between $4500 and $7000 for treatment coverage depending on one of their four policies and pre-existing vs. injury – they do not cover pre-existing conditions on wheelchairs. Splints are fully covered in all situations.
Pet Plan: Covers any accident, injury, or illness and equipment needed for these, as long as they didn’t occur prior to coverage.
Embrace: Dog Wheelchairs not currently covered. Some splints and harnesses are, depending on plan purchased by owner. Pet’s Best: Waiting for information
24 PetWatch: Equipment is not currently covered.
Trupanion: Has one plan only and it covers carts, prosthetics, and orthotics, with no additional rider needed.
AKC: Coverage depends on veterinary notes and recommendations.
