Nothing is worse than finding out there is something wrong with your pet.

The mental and emotional stress can be exhausting, but the financial stress can burden you and your family. Talk to your veterinarian about options for reducing your bill in times of emergency. If your vet is unable to offer assistance, many organizations provide help.

Though we cannot assist with existing medical bills, BRHS offers Veterinary Assistance in times of economic distress. We provide medical vouchers to help with emergency veterinary visits before your visit. Pet owners must be residents of Henderson County to receive medical assistance.

Our Vet Assistance does not cover routine care such as flea/tick prevention, heartworm testing, heartworm prevention, routine vaccinations, and/or microchipping. If your pet is in need of assistance with routine care, please check out our Low-Cost Vaccine Clinics or complete this quick Pet Help Request Form.

We offer Vet Assistance for pet owners experiencing medical emergencies with their pets. Assistance is provided for one pet per household per 6-month period. If you are a Henderson County Resident, and your pet is experiencing a medical emergency, please complete the Vet Assistance Request Form. After submitting a Vet Assistance Request form, pet owners must provide one of the following documents to verify residency:

  • NC Driver’s License or ID Card
  • Utility Bill
  • Benefits Statement from Social Security
  • Military Benefit Statement
  • Real Estate Tax Statement
  • SSA-Retirement, Survivors and Disability Income-Notice of Award letter
  • Medicaid ID Card
  • Bank Statement

Please Note: A document indicating a post office box within the County will not be adequate proof of residency. You can email a photo of your verification to pethelpline@blueridgehumane.org OR text a photo to (828)393-5832

We can process Vet Assistance Requests Monday-Friday 8:00 – 4:00 PM. Due to high demand, the maximum assistance we can provide is $200, depending on current funding availability. If you expect the vet visit to exceed that amount, please check out the additional resources below for supplemental assistance. We are unable to reimburse for past medical expenses.

If you would like more information or to find out if you qualify, please call (828) 393-5832 (you may experience delays on holidays).

Other Vet Financial Assistance Resources

This list of organizations is dedicated to helping you financially through your pet’s recovery:

  • GoFundMe – It is an increasingly common way to ask friends for cash on social media. Please note, GoFundMe also takes 5 percent of donations raised.
  • Brown Dog Foundation – It was created to help families unable to pay vet bills.
  • Scratchpay – This is a payment plan that lets clients pay a bill within 30 days with no interest
  • Care Credit  – Credit card company for veterinary care.
  • Handicapped Pets Foundation – This organization provides disabled, injured, and elderly pets with wheelchairs.
  • Magic Bullet Fund – This nonprofit helps those financially unprepared to pay for their dog’s cancer treatment.
  • The Mosby Foundation – This organization helps neglected, sick, and abused dogs. The foundation cannot help with vet bills you’ve already incurred.
  • Paws 4 A Cure – Helps cats and dogs with a limited ability to pay for care assistance.
  • The Pet Fund – Help pet owners pay for non-basic, non-urgent care for chronic conditions, heart disease, and cancer.
  • Red Rover – In the event of an emergency, this organization offers immediate financial assistance for veterinary care.