We no longer simply “own” dogs and cats. They’ve become our fur babies. We dress them up in silly frocks and sports jerseys, allow them to sleep in our beds, and take them on vacations with us. So it’s not surprising that when a beloved pet suffers a serious injury or is diagnosed with a major illness, we are devastated. In our hearts, we want to do whatever we can to make them whole again. There is veterinary assistance for low income families where you can get potential crowdfunding for pets.
But then comes the next gut-punch – as the veterinarian discusses treatment plans and surgery, it quickly becomes clear that it’s going to cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to heal your pet. That is where your head and your heart will probably start wrestling for control of the situation. Your logical side realizes that in order to save your pet, you may have to go deep into debt. But your heart can’t imagine not doing everything in your power to save your beloved furry friend. This situation can be bothering if you are not sound financially.
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Tough Decisions
Your paycheck can barely afford to pay the rent, let alone a surprise vet bill that could leave you owing thousands of dollars? Should you recognize the fact that you simply can’t afford the treatment and put your furry best friend down? Or should you follow your heart and save your pet, even though it could put your family into a precarious financial situation? Fortunately, there is one more choice – crowdfunding or pet assistance for low income families.
To cater to your need when you really need one. By creating an online campaign to raise money for your pet’s medical needs, your friends, family members, and even strangers can make contributions towards its treatment. Crowdfunding campaigns – as you’ve probably seen with your own eyes – have become more and more common. People are using them for a variety of reasons – everything from honeymoon funds, helping a family through a disaster too, yes, raising funds for a pet’s medical emergency.
Rising Veterinarian Costs
The main reason people are turning to crowdfunding to pay for their pet’s medical care is that the cost of treatment has skyrocketed over the years. According to a 2015 Washington Post article, the cost of vet visits rose 47 percent for dogs and 73 percent for cats in the last ten years.
Another reason? In the past, a dog or cat with a severe illness or a devastating injury would have been euthanized or its condition simply left untreated. Today, however, veterinarians have many new tools and medications that allow them to treat or surgically repair many serious issues. For example, it’s not uncommon today to hear that a beloved pet is undergoing chemotherapy or having an ACL reconstructed. But, of course, not everyone can afford these types of treatments.
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Then there is the matter of insurance. According to the Census Bureau, more than 91 percent of U.S. citizens have health insurance coverage to help them pay for their medical treatments but our pets are not so lucky. In fact, only about 10 percent of dogs and 5 percent of cats living in the U.S. are covered by pet insurance. And, unfortunately, while insurance can be beneficial, it doesn’t always include everything. For example, if your dog were to tear its ACL during the first six to twelve months of your policy going into effect, it’s likely that your insurance would not cover the cost of your pup’s surgery. Financial aid for pets can help you in this respect.
Pet Owners Don’t Always Have the Means to Pay for Emergency Care
One of the beauties of owning a pet is that they love you whether you are rich or poor. They don’t care if their collars are encrusted with diamonds or if their owners can send them to pricey doggie daycares. If you love them, they will love you in return. So it’s probably not surprising that the Humane Society of the United States estimates that approximately 23 million dogs and cats reside in households that live below the poverty line. These are the families that will find it hardest to pay for their pets’ medical care if something severe or unexpected should occur.
Why Crowdfund?
In the very early days of crowdfunding, some people were reluctant to turn to friends and family members for financial help with their pet’s medical bills. The most common worry expressed by these pet owners? They didn’t want to appear to be begging for money or to burden others with their problems. Yet, according to Greater Good Magazine[1], recent studies have shown that people enjoy being able to help others. In fact, many of those people surveyed by these studies said that they felt better assisting others to enjoy a shared feeling as a matter of fellow feeling and shared community responsibility. So, in other words, your friends and family members may welcome the opportunity to help you save your pet. Giving you financial support – no matter how small – is a way for a person to show their concern for you and your pet.
How to Use Crowdfunding Effectively
Starting a crowdfunding campaign for your pet’s medical treatment is a relatively simple process. But it does require time and effort on your behalf to ensure that your campaign is successful.
The first step is to select a crowdfunding platform. There are numerous ones out there, including platforms that have been specifically created for pets in need. When choosing a platform, you should look for one that will make your donors feel confident help is going to a worthy cause. Unfortunately, there have been some widely publicized crowdfunding scams in the news recently that have made some potential donors wary. That is why you might want to consider a crowdfunding platform that partners directly with your veterinarian, which ensures that all of the funds you raise will go only to your pet’s care.
Explain Your Situation
For your pet’s campaign to be successful, you will need to explain clearly why you need help paying for its medical costs. Has a spouse recently lost a job? Did your pet get attacked by a coyote? Or did you recently adopt a rescue dog only to discover that it requires thousands of dollars in medical treatments? Whatever the reason, you need to describe in detail why you are struggling to pay for your pet’s medical costs. Some philanthropists are too eager to be of help and share your concern.
A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
The pictures that accompany your campaign should be clear and, if possible, help tell your pet’s story. If your pet, for example, was the victim of an attack, you may want to use photos that show its wounds. You should also include “cute” pictures of your pet so that potential donors can fall in love with it. Make sure to choose your most compelling photo – the one that will tell potential donors the most about your pet and its needs – as your header image. This is the photo that will be shown with your campaign when it is shared on social media platforms.
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Don’t Be Afraid to Share Your Campaign Widely on Social Media
You could create an absolutely perfect crowdfunding page, but if you don’t share it, you will have problems raising the money to treat your pet’s medical issues. So don’t be afraid to post your campaign on social media and update it regularly. It’s also essential to ask close friends and family members if they can share your crowdfunding page on their social media accounts as well.
Contact the Media
Does your pet have an especially compelling story? For example, was your pup stolen and used as a bait dog? If this is the case, send out a press release to local newspapers and websites. They may decide to do a story about your pet that includes information on how to donate to your crowdfunding campaign.
Keep Donors Updated on Your Pet’s Progress
By donating money to your campaign, your donors have invested in your pet’s future and will be interested in knowing how it’s doing. So make sure to post about your pet’s surgeries, treatments, and other general information on how they’re dealing with their medical condition. And always remember to thank your donors for their kindness. If possible, try sending each a personalized message, or – at the very least – remember to post an update for the donors to track your progress. Make sure you thank them for their donation and being so kind and thoughtful.
Dealing with the Negative
Don’t be surprised if a person you’re close with fails to give you a donation or if you hear someone comment that they would never crowdfund for their own pet’s medical needs. Some people have very old-school feelings about crowdfunding, and you will never be able to change their attitudes.
For the most part, however, you will probably find that most of your friends and family members will be non-judgmental and understanding. Many of them realize that they could be in your shoes one day. Because a time comes in everyone’s life when we need someone who can help us in times of needs may it be economical or psychological. So while this may be your time to lean on your good friends for a little help, one day, it just might be their turn to lean on you. This is where financial aid for pets are of great importance.
Source:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/kindness_makes_you_happy_and_happiness_makes_you_kind
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