Free Veterinary Care for Low Income Pets in New York

We know you love your furry companions, which is why we’ve assembled this list of free veterinary care for low income pets in New York. As pet owners ourselves, we know how hard it can be when your furbaby needs help. Especially since veterinary care can be so very expensive!

The organizations and programs in this list may be able to help you get free and low cost pet care for your beloved pets. Don’t hesitate to reach out, but remember that demand is high so these organizations do run out of funding periodically.

Free Veterinary Care Grants

There are many organizations that are dedicated to helping low income pet owners get help with their pet care costs. If you need free veterinary care in New York, make sure to check out these organizations that may be able to help:

• Shamrock Animal Fund pays part of the veterinary care bill for low income pet owners who demonstrate a financial need. This does not provide free veterinary care, because you are expected to pay a majority of the bill yourself. However, it can help offset the cost if you meet the requirements.
• NY SAVE can provide emergency funding for low income pets who are in true emergency situations. If you live in one of the five boroughs of New York City and you meet the income limits, you may be able to get help from this program. Contact them right away.
• Pet Emergency Fund: The Pet Emergency Fund provides financial help to low income pet owners in Erie and Niagara Counties. Your pet must receive care at one of their participating hospitals in order to get help.
• The Brown Dog Foundation: The Brown Dog Foundation is a small organization that does its best to help low income families cover their pet care expenses for their cats and dogs. They usually provide an answer within 2 to 5 days after your application. You can apply on the  Brown Dog Foundation website.
• Frankie’s Friends National Fund: Frankie’s Friends may be able to pay up to $2,000 toward the cost of your pet’s veterinary care. You’ll have to have a household income that is at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level in order to apply. Fill out the application on the Frankie’s Friends page.
• Friends and Vets Helping Pets: This organization can also provide money toward the cost of your pet’s veterinary care, medication or prosthetics. You must have a household income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Fill out the initial qualification form to start your application.

These are just a few of the incredible grant programs we’ve found. Check out our full list of veterinary care grants for more ways to get help in New York.

Humane Societies

Humane societies are incredible organizations that do so much to support pets and their owners. Whether it’s providing affordable or free veterinary care, helping with spay and neuter services, or even running adoption programs to find loving homes for animals in need, they’re truly a lifeline for so many.

There are many helpful Humane Societies around New York, including:

• Hornell Area Humane Society boasts a low-cost spay and neuter program for low-income families with New York pets. You must meet income guideline requirements in order to qualify. If you’re eligible, you may pay as little as $50 to spay/neuter your pets.
• Humane Society of Schuyler County also provides low cost spay and neuter services for low income pet owners in the area. They give priority to low income residents of Schuyler County, but their participating outreach veterinarians have provided surgery to 150,000 animals across a five county area.
• Mohawk Hudson Humane Society has two pet food pantries and other supportive services for low income pet owners in the area. They provide some other pet supplies when donations allow.
• Ontario County Humane Society offers a reduced-price spay and neuter service for eligible pets. If you qualify, the veterinarian will donate 1/3 of the cost of the surgery. The remaining balance is covered by both the pet owner and the Humane Society.

These groups are busy, though, so be patient and persistent when reaching out. Even if funding runs low from time to time, their mission is to support you and your furry family members. Don’t hesitate to contact them—they’re here for you!

SPCAs

The SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is all about making life better for pets and their humans. These compassionate organizations focus on rescuing animals in need, offering low cost or free veterinary care, and providing vital resources like spay and neuter services to keep pets healthy and happy.

There are many helpful SPCAs around New York, including:

• Chemung County SCPA has a SNAP program for New York Pets. Through this program, you could pay as little as $10 to spay or neuter your pets. They also offer a pet food pantry, temporary boarding resources, end of life services and more.
• CNY SPCA provides a pet food pantry, spay/neuter clinic, and more for low income families in the Syracuse area. Their goal is to help prevent pets from being surrendered to local shelters.
• Finger Lakes SPCA has a pet food bank, a low cost spay and neuter program called Project Catnip, and a Silver Paws program that waives pet adoption fees for owners who are at least 55 years old.

While they’re busy helping so many, don’t hesitate to reach out—they’re dedicated to supporting you and your furry family members. Remember, the SPCA’s mission is to ensure every pet gets the care and love they deserve!

ASPCA

The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is a national organization with a special focus on providing care and support for animals and their owners. This is a different organization than your local SPCA. In fact, the ASCPA is headquartered in New York!

For example, the ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic serves all five boroughs in New York City. They’re committed to providing low-cost, high-quality spaying and neutering to under-served communities in the city. Services are free with proof of public assistance.

“The ASPCA strives to make spay/neuter accessible and affordable for all New York City residents. Low-income pet parents in New York City’s five boroughs with proof of public assistance such as welfare, Medicaid, Medicare, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), disability, food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or public housing qualify for heavily subsidized spay/neuter services for their cat or dog. Those receiving unemployment benefits do not qualify.”

Paws NY

PAWS NY offers a pet food pantry, low income veterinary care program, foster and emergency care services and more to help support pet owners in New York City.

They even have a helpful housecall program that provides in-home assistance with pet care tasks like dog walking, litter maintenance, medication administration and more. You must be a low income New York Resident who has impaired mobility due to age, illness or disability to qualify. If you’re interested, you can reach out to their organization and ask how to become a Housecall client.

Relief Recap

Caring for pets on a tight budget can be challenging, but New York offers a variety of resources, including free and low-cost veterinary care, pet food banks, and support services to help you keep your furry friends healthy and happy. Remember, we have even more programs that may be able to help you in our list of free veterinary care grants!