The following organizations offer low-cost veterinary care and financial assistance. The requirements for assistance vary, so please review the requirements for each individually. These businesses/programs were compiled as a courtesy and are neither endorsed, nor guaranteed, by the Animal Rescue Foundation.

Local Programs

The following assistance programs operate primarily within the San Francisco Bay Area.

ARF logo

ARF Emergency Medical Fund® • (925) 296-3125

  • Offers low-cost, non-emergency services at ARF’s clinic.
  • Serves qualifying Contra Costa County residents.
ARF logo

ARF Pet Safety Net • (925) 296-3176

  • Offers critical resources to prevent pets from being surrendered.
  • Serves qualifying Contra Costa County residents.
Affordable Vet Referral Services logo

Affordable Vet Referral Services  • (714) 206-4717

  • Offers low-cost solutions to expensive pet treatments and surgeries.
  • Please text (don’t call) the listed number.
Animal Fix Clinic logo

Animal Fix Clinic • (510) 215-9300

  • Offers spay/neuter surgeries and essential surgical care, at sliding-scale pricing.
East Bay SPCA logo

East Bay SPCA Veterinary Assistance Program • (510) 563-4627

  • Provides financial assistance for clients of East Bay SPCA’s full-service veterinary clinic in Oakland.
  • Serves qualifying Contra Costa and Alameda County residents.

Humane Society of Alameda • (510) 337-9457

  • Provides financial assistance to families who have been seen already at a partnering veterinary clinic and have been given an estimate for surgery/procedure.

The Pet Advocate • (209) 879-9367

  • Offers affordable veterinary care, including affordable dental services.
SAGE Compassion for Animals logo

SAGE Compassion for Animals

  • Provides financial assistance to families with companion animals in medical crisis.
  • Serves qualifying Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma County residents.
SF SPCA logo

San Francisco SPCA Financial Assistance • (415) 554-3030

  • Provides financial assistance for emergency/urgent veterinary care.
  • Serves qualifying, low-income San Francisco pet guardians.

Saving Gracie

  • Provides financial assistance for life-saving veterinary treatments.
  • Serves qualifying Calaveras, Contra Costa, Napa, Sacramento, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Yolo County residents.

Vets in Vans • (415) 439-0169

  • Provides comprehensive clinic services to communities in the Bay Area via a mobile clinic vehicle.

Nationwide Programs

The following assistance programs operate on a national level.

CareCredit logo

CareCredit • (800) 677-0718

  • Offers a line of credit for all types of health care assistance (including veterinary care).
Scratchpay logo

Scratchpay • (855) 727-2395

  • Offers online payment plans for veterinary bills.

Human Animal Support Services by American Pets Alive

  • Curates free or low-cost pet services in a searchable database.
Bow Wow Buddies Foundation logo

Bow Wow Buddies Foundation®

  • Provides medical care funds to individuals/shelters struggling to cover their veterinary bills.
  • Funding for dogs only.
Brown Dog Foundation

Brown Dog Foundation, Inc.

  • Provides financial assistance to bridge the gap between the cost of medical care and saving pets.
Frankie's Friends Fund logo

Frankie’s Friends Fund  • (888) 465-PETS

  • Provides grants for pets in need of lifesaving or specialty veterinary care.
Friends & Vets Helping Pets logo

Friends & Vets Helping Pets  • (859) 309-2943

  • Provides financial assistance for curable (lifesaving, not life-prolonging) pet diseases.
Hearts United for Animals 911 Emergency Assistance logo

Hearts United for Animals 911 Emergency Assistance • (402) 274-3679

  • Offers assistance with emergency medical cases.
Hope Mending Hearts logo

Hope Mending Hearts

  • Provides grants for animals who need urgent veterinary care.
Mosby Foundation Logo

The Mosby Foundation • (540) 885-2260

  • Provides financial support for critically sick, injured, abused, and neglected dogs.
Onyx and Breezy Foundation logo

The Onyx & Breezy Foundation

  • Provides financial assistance for necessary and unaffordable medications/treatment.
Oscar's Cause logo

Oscar’s Cause • (863) 353-7853

  • Provides financial assistance for life-saving pet care.
Paws 4 A Cure logo

Paws 4 A Cure

  • Provides financial assistance to those who cannot afford veterinary care for their dog or cat.
Pet Assistance, Inc. logo

Pet Assistance, Inc.

  • Offers funds to subsidize veterinary care for urgent or life-threatening emergencies.
The Pet Fund logo

The Pet Fund

  • Provides financial assistance for non-basic, non-urgent veterinary care.

The Pet Lifeline Program by Pet News Daily

  • Provides one-time financial assistance to pet guardians who cannot afford veterinary care.
Pets of the Homeless logo

Pets of the Homeless • (775) 841-7463

  • Offers resources to pet guardians experiencing homelessness.
Red Rover Urgent Care Grant logo

Red Rover Urgent Care Grant • (916) 429-2457

  • Provides financial assistance and resources for pets in life-threatening situations.
STARelief Home for Life Grant logo

STARelief Home for Life Grant • (203) 636-0971

  • Provides financial assistance and resources to pet caretakers experiencing financial hardship.

Wishbone Foundation

  • Provides financial assistance for unexpected, acute medical issues that impact the pet’s quality of life.

Programs for Specific Medical Conditions

The following programs provide financial and/or medical assistance for animals afflicted with specific medical conditions.

The Big Hearts Fund

The Big Hearts Fund

  • Provides financial assistance for the veterinary care of dogs and cats with heart disease.
Canine Cancer Awareness logo

Canine Cancer Awareness • (206) 305-4549

  • Provides 24/7 assistance for the veterinary care of dogs with cancer.
Diabetic Cats in Need logo

Diabetic Cats in Need • (234) 738-3246

  • Provides ongoing assistance with insulin, testing supplies, and limited veterinary care of cats with diabetes.
  • Provides glucose testing supplies and insulin to guardians of newly-diagnosed cats.
Feline Veterinary Assistance Program logo

Feline Veterinary Assistance Program

  • Provides financial assistance for the veterinary care of cats with Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (VAS), also referred to as Injection Site Sarcoma (ISS).
Handicapped Pets Foundation logo

Handicapped Pets Foundation

  • Provides financial assistance for the veterinary care of elderly, disabled, and special needs pets.
  • Donates pet wheelchairs to animals in need.
The Magic Bullet Fund logo

The Magic Bullet Fund

  • Provides financial assistance for the veterinary care of dogs and cats with cancer.
Miranda's People logo

Miranda’s People

  • Provides financial assistance for the veterinary care of dogs with cancer.
The Riedel & Cody Fund logo

The Riedel & Cody Fund

  • Provides financial assistance for the veterinary care of dogs and cats with cancer.

Programs for Specific Breeds

Support from the following programs is isolated to a specific breed of dog/cat.

WESTIEMED, Inc logo

WESTIEMED, Inc.

  • Provides financial assistance toward non-routine medical expenses for West Highland White Terriers (Westies) or Westie-mixes.

Programs for Working/Assistance Dogs

The following programs provide financial support for dogs with jobs.

California Dept. of Social Services Assistance Dog Special Allowance Program logo

California Dept. of Social Services Assistance Dog Special Allowance Program  • (916) 657-2628

  • Offers monthly funds to qualifying persons who use a guide, signal, or service dog.
Land of PureGold Working Dog Cancer Treatment Grant logo

Land of PureGold Working Dog Cancer Treatment Grant • (410) 363-1434

  • Offers grants for active, full-time working dogs with cancer.

Didn’t Find What You’re Looking For?

Additional Pet Resources

  • Pet Food Resources

    Pet Food Resources

    The following organizations offer free or low-cost pet food. The requirements for assistance vary, so please review the requirements for each individually. These businesses/programs were compiled as a courtesy and are neither endorsed, nor guaranteed, by the Animal Rescue Foundation. …

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  • End-of-Life Care, Pet Loss, and Grief Support

    End-of-Life Care, Pet Loss, and Grief Support

    When your pet is no longer able to live pain-free and with dignity, it may be time to think about humane euthanasia. The following organizations offer low-cost end-of-life services for pets. The requirements for assistance vary, so please review the …

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  • Community Cats

    Community Cats

    Trap-Neuter-Return The cornerstone of managing community cats is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). TNR is the only long-term strategy for humanely controlling the free-roaming cat population. Without spay and neuter as population control, cat colonies multiply quickly. Shelter impoundment and euthanasia is not a viable …

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