FAQ's
How does a Pet Owner Access the Charity?
A pet owner must first visit a veterinarian for assessment. Your vet will ask you to complete a VetPay application and check if there are any other sources of funding such as credit cards or borrowing from friends and family. If these conditions have been satisfied and the pet needs urgent, life-saving treatment, the vet clinic can apply to the charity on your behalf. As an entirely volunteer-run charity we do not have the capacity to take applications directly. Usually we are able to provide approval within 1-3 hours of receiving an application. Any vet in Canberra, Queanbeyan or the local region can apply to the charity for assistance. Please note, we are unable to assist with treatments or procedures that have happened in the past and the pet must be assessed by a vet for a vet to apply to us for assistance. Pet owners can also visit us at the Tiny Vet Clinic.
What Conditions does the Charity Help with?
Examples of conditions that we can usually assist with (should we have funds available) include:
What Conditions are NOT Covered?
What is the Maximum Amount of Assistance a Pet Owner can Receive?
We limit the assistance we are able to offer to $1500 per pet. We always encourage vet clinics to ensure that the owner has exhausted other types of funding, including VetPay or borrowing from friends and family. There are also other options available for assistance including GoFundMe, Care interest-free loans and Good Shepherd and Centrelink loans.
What Happens if a Pet Owner does not use the full $1500?
Unlike VetPay, if a pet owner is approved for assistance, this does not carry over to additional visits or other vet clinics. The treating vet clinic needs to complete the application if they are caring for the pet. If we have approved a treatment that may be completed over multiple visits (for example there will be post-op checks or bandage changes) please send just one invoice, rather than multiple invoices.
Do you Help Outside of Canberra?
At this stage we are able to help pet owners in the local region, including Queanbeyan, all other locations close to Canberra are assessed on a case-by-case basis, however in the past we have helped pets in Bungendore, Yass and Goulburn.
My Pet Needs Vaccination or Routine Care
We can help with vaccination, microchipping and routine care via our Tiny Vet Clinic. Alternatively, Pets in the Park also offers a monthly clinic to pet owners who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk. They can help with vaccination, microchipping, desexing, health checks and parasite control. You would need a referral letter from your service provider (for example the Early Morning Centre) to attend their monthly clinics.
My Pet Needs a Dental, Can you Help?
We have in the past covered dental treatments, however we soon realised that the problem is too big for our little fund! It is estimated that 85% of pets over 3 years of age have untreated dental disease. Many of the dogs and cats we are breeding nowadays are genetically predisposed to dental disease from a young age. If your pet has smelly breath, the sooner he/she receives help, the better (and cheaper) it will be in the long-run. Even older pets can be safely anaesthetised for dental treatment and often gain a new lease on life after their teeth are fixed. Many clinics will offer free dental checks, which will allow you to get an idea of the costs involved in treatment and the extent of the problem. If you are receiving a Centrelink payment you can be referred to the RSPCA for dental treatment at a reduced rate by ACT Pet Crisis Supportand pay off the bill via Centrepay. Please fill out the application here for dentistry assistance.
Can Pet Owners Apply to the Charity Directly?
At this stage APCS is entirely volunteer-run and much of our time and resources are spent on fundraising. It is therefore not possible for us to process applications directly. We also do not have the ability to phone pet owners directly. Your first step is to visit a veterinarian so they can work out what treatment your pet needs. Your vet can then apply for help on your behalf if all other financial options have been exhausted. Our group of volunteers will then consider your vet's application and notify them if they are successful.
My Vet Does not Know About the Charity and How to Apply
If your vet is not aware of ACT Pet Crisis Support, please direct them to this website. Please visit here for more information.
Help with Desexing Costs
Rainbow Paws runs a subsidised desexing program and the RSPCA also offers discounted desexing with the option of utilising Centrepay. Please note the RSPCA is quite busy, so there is often a long wait-list to book in with them, so consider booking 6 months in advance.
What Other Options are Available to Help with Vet Bills?
Do you have any family and friends who could give you a loan? Some rescue groups are also able to help with either rehoming or support if you have a change of circumstances. Check your home insurance policy to see if pet illness is covered under your policy. If you are on Centrelink benefits you may be able to get an interest-free loan of between $500-1000. Some veterinarians will also offer Centrepay. Veterinarians are required to offer first aid in a medical emergency, so if your pet is unwell please call or visit your local vet for emergency advice. Good Shepherd can also provide interest free loans for those in financial difficulty. Local organisation Care offers interest-free community loans. The RSPCA is also available in a limited fashion to provide dental care and desexing for your pet. More details of organisation that can help are available here.
Why do we Support Pet Owners Who Can't Afford Their Pet's Care?
It is simplistic to say that people should not have pets unless they can afford them. People may experience hardship and disadvantage at any stage, and pets can be a huge comfort and a great source of companionship for people of all ages and income levels. Unfortunately many pet owners are unprepared for the costs involved in a medical emergency for their pet and there are few options out there to help them besides euthanasia.
Why Are Vets So Expensive?
All medical care costs money, however in Australia the costs are often hidden due to Medicare. Veterinarians are typically running small businesses with HUGE overheads. Medical care for animals is comparatively much cheaper than human medical care and the level of care available for animals has certainly progressed over the past 20 years. Take a look at your average medical or surgical bill (without Medicare) and all of a sudden veterinary expenses seem very small!
Most veterinary clinics operate as a 'one stop shop' and are able to provide consultation, diagnostic and surgical facilities all under one roof. Just like any business that equipment is always breaking and needing to be replaced and upgraded. The better the standard of care becomes for our pets, the more money it will cost. Our pets are living longer and unfortunately we are selectively breeding dogs and cats for diseases that did not exist 30 years ago.
In the past, medical treatment for animals was extremely basic and many were euthanased as soon as the slightest thing went wrong with them. It was rare for a cat to live until 18-20 years of age and dogs rarely made it past 12 years of age. Nowadays most pet owners consider their pets part of their family, not just workers and accordingly, vets are able to treat more diseases than ever. Vet clinics need to pay their staff, rent, and huge amounts of money for expensive medical equipment and countless other bills to keep the lights on at a practice. Just as you would not expect your mechanic to discount the cost of repairing your car, your veterinarian should not be guilted into subsidising your pet's care.
How does a Pet Owner Access the Charity?
A pet owner must first visit a veterinarian for assessment. Your vet will ask you to complete a VetPay application and check if there are any other sources of funding such as credit cards or borrowing from friends and family. If these conditions have been satisfied and the pet needs urgent, life-saving treatment, the vet clinic can apply to the charity on your behalf. As an entirely volunteer-run charity we do not have the capacity to take applications directly. Usually we are able to provide approval within 1-3 hours of receiving an application. Any vet in Canberra, Queanbeyan or the local region can apply to the charity for assistance. Please note, we are unable to assist with treatments or procedures that have happened in the past and the pet must be assessed by a vet for a vet to apply to us for assistance. Pet owners can also visit us at the Tiny Vet Clinic.
What Conditions does the Charity Help with?
Examples of conditions that we can usually assist with (should we have funds available) include:
- Fracture repair or accidental injury.
- Dog/cat bite wounds.
- Toxicity treatment.
- Urinary obstruction.
- Foreign body obstruction.
- Abscesses, wounds or trauma (eg hit by car).
- Pyometra.
What Conditions are NOT Covered?
- Conditions that are elective and non-urgent.
- Lump removals.
- Routine care - vaccination, desexing, grooming, parasite control (unless contributing to a disease process), routine checks, food, Feliway or Adaptil and nail trims. Instead pet owners can attend the Tiny Vet Clinic. Organisations such as Rainbow Paws, RSPCA and Pets in the Park are often able to help with desexing.
- Parvovirus treatment.
- Management of chronic conditions (kidney, liver, adrenal or thyroid disease, diabetes, ongoing skin issues, arthritis or pancreatitis). These can be managed in some cases via the Tiny Vet Clinic.
- Caesarian costs or breeding-related conditions.
- Chemotherapy.
- Boarding fees.
- Dental disease.
- Gastrointestinal diseases or diagnostics.
What is the Maximum Amount of Assistance a Pet Owner can Receive?
We limit the assistance we are able to offer to $1500 per pet. We always encourage vet clinics to ensure that the owner has exhausted other types of funding, including VetPay or borrowing from friends and family. There are also other options available for assistance including GoFundMe, Care interest-free loans and Good Shepherd and Centrelink loans.
What Happens if a Pet Owner does not use the full $1500?
Unlike VetPay, if a pet owner is approved for assistance, this does not carry over to additional visits or other vet clinics. The treating vet clinic needs to complete the application if they are caring for the pet. If we have approved a treatment that may be completed over multiple visits (for example there will be post-op checks or bandage changes) please send just one invoice, rather than multiple invoices.
Do you Help Outside of Canberra?
At this stage we are able to help pet owners in the local region, including Queanbeyan, all other locations close to Canberra are assessed on a case-by-case basis, however in the past we have helped pets in Bungendore, Yass and Goulburn.
My Pet Needs Vaccination or Routine Care
We can help with vaccination, microchipping and routine care via our Tiny Vet Clinic. Alternatively, Pets in the Park also offers a monthly clinic to pet owners who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk. They can help with vaccination, microchipping, desexing, health checks and parasite control. You would need a referral letter from your service provider (for example the Early Morning Centre) to attend their monthly clinics.
My Pet Needs a Dental, Can you Help?
We have in the past covered dental treatments, however we soon realised that the problem is too big for our little fund! It is estimated that 85% of pets over 3 years of age have untreated dental disease. Many of the dogs and cats we are breeding nowadays are genetically predisposed to dental disease from a young age. If your pet has smelly breath, the sooner he/she receives help, the better (and cheaper) it will be in the long-run. Even older pets can be safely anaesthetised for dental treatment and often gain a new lease on life after their teeth are fixed. Many clinics will offer free dental checks, which will allow you to get an idea of the costs involved in treatment and the extent of the problem. If you are receiving a Centrelink payment you can be referred to the RSPCA for dental treatment at a reduced rate by ACT Pet Crisis Supportand pay off the bill via Centrepay. Please fill out the application here for dentistry assistance.
Can Pet Owners Apply to the Charity Directly?
At this stage APCS is entirely volunteer-run and much of our time and resources are spent on fundraising. It is therefore not possible for us to process applications directly. We also do not have the ability to phone pet owners directly. Your first step is to visit a veterinarian so they can work out what treatment your pet needs. Your vet can then apply for help on your behalf if all other financial options have been exhausted. Our group of volunteers will then consider your vet's application and notify them if they are successful.
My Vet Does not Know About the Charity and How to Apply
If your vet is not aware of ACT Pet Crisis Support, please direct them to this website. Please visit here for more information.
Help with Desexing Costs
Rainbow Paws runs a subsidised desexing program and the RSPCA also offers discounted desexing with the option of utilising Centrepay. Please note the RSPCA is quite busy, so there is often a long wait-list to book in with them, so consider booking 6 months in advance.
What Other Options are Available to Help with Vet Bills?
Do you have any family and friends who could give you a loan? Some rescue groups are also able to help with either rehoming or support if you have a change of circumstances. Check your home insurance policy to see if pet illness is covered under your policy. If you are on Centrelink benefits you may be able to get an interest-free loan of between $500-1000. Some veterinarians will also offer Centrepay. Veterinarians are required to offer first aid in a medical emergency, so if your pet is unwell please call or visit your local vet for emergency advice. Good Shepherd can also provide interest free loans for those in financial difficulty. Local organisation Care offers interest-free community loans. The RSPCA is also available in a limited fashion to provide dental care and desexing for your pet. More details of organisation that can help are available here.
Why do we Support Pet Owners Who Can't Afford Their Pet's Care?
It is simplistic to say that people should not have pets unless they can afford them. People may experience hardship and disadvantage at any stage, and pets can be a huge comfort and a great source of companionship for people of all ages and income levels. Unfortunately many pet owners are unprepared for the costs involved in a medical emergency for their pet and there are few options out there to help them besides euthanasia.
Why Are Vets So Expensive?
All medical care costs money, however in Australia the costs are often hidden due to Medicare. Veterinarians are typically running small businesses with HUGE overheads. Medical care for animals is comparatively much cheaper than human medical care and the level of care available for animals has certainly progressed over the past 20 years. Take a look at your average medical or surgical bill (without Medicare) and all of a sudden veterinary expenses seem very small!
Most veterinary clinics operate as a 'one stop shop' and are able to provide consultation, diagnostic and surgical facilities all under one roof. Just like any business that equipment is always breaking and needing to be replaced and upgraded. The better the standard of care becomes for our pets, the more money it will cost. Our pets are living longer and unfortunately we are selectively breeding dogs and cats for diseases that did not exist 30 years ago.
In the past, medical treatment for animals was extremely basic and many were euthanased as soon as the slightest thing went wrong with them. It was rare for a cat to live until 18-20 years of age and dogs rarely made it past 12 years of age. Nowadays most pet owners consider their pets part of their family, not just workers and accordingly, vets are able to treat more diseases than ever. Vet clinics need to pay their staff, rent, and huge amounts of money for expensive medical equipment and countless other bills to keep the lights on at a practice. Just as you would not expect your mechanic to discount the cost of repairing your car, your veterinarian should not be guilted into subsidising your pet's care.