Owner of Dog Boarding Facility Creates Emergency Pandemic Fund for Struggling Pet Owners

The recent Coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on people throughout the world. This in turn has created problems for the pet under the care of those struggling to make ends meet. The loss of income and a bleak outlook on returning to work soon have made it necessary for millions to tighten their belts. We recently came across a heartwarming story about the owner of a dog barding facility who decided to take matters into his own hands and do something to help out during the crisis.

An emergency fund for pet owners

Inforum reports on a St. Hilaire, Minnesota woman who has a big heart and a willingness to give of herself. Katie Dolan was moved with compassion to assist a member of her local community to get help to pay for the emergency care that his dog needed. This inspired her to take it a step further and find help for others in the same situation. The generous businesswoman has long done what she could to help others. She provides a comfortable and safe shelter for pets who need boarding and she also partners with a vet clinic with a decade of management experience under her belt. In the past year, she has seen how the current pandemic has affected veterinarians in addition to overburdened pet owners. Everyone is feeling the squeeze.

Katie Cares Fund

Dolan created a non-profit emergency veterinary fund that is called the Katie Cares Fund. She is busy raising money to fund help for those who require aid. Her generous efforts make a difference for struggling pet owners in need of medical care for their pets. Funds are raised through the 32 Auctions, where merchandise is offered to the highest bidders interested in helping out pets who need assistance.

Why this fund is so timely

We are all going through a time when it’s hard to pay the rent, utilities, and put food on the table. Any extra expenses, such as medical emergencies for pets, have the potential to break the bank, so to speak. For many going deeper and deeper into debt, there are few working solutions to give them relief. Animals are often the forgotten victims of hard times, but loving pet owners realize the impact that the tough economic times are having on them. It’s an added stress on top of the fear and worries over their own health when a beloved pet has a medical emergency. Many are foregoing routine visits for checkups and vaccinations because pet clinics are either closed or pose a risk of exposure to the deadly virus. Some simply can’t afford to pay the cost of a visit. The veterinary clinic staff is suffering financially from decreased numbers of visits as well. It’s a situation that affects all stakeholders.

Other animal charities

America’s Best Charities shares a few other resource organizations reaching out to help dogs and cats. Pawsitive Alliance is one of the most highly recommended charities for funding because of its track record for successfully helping abandoned pets find homes. The organization has served as the facilitator for the adoption of more than 8,000 dogs and cats. The volunteer staffers work tirelessly to set up massive adoption campaigns to inform the public about specific cats and dogs with high potential for making good family pets. Full disclosures are made about any existing medical conditions in the advertising. The organization sponsors the Whynot ME pets program to help animals with unique conditions find the most appropriate homes.

In addition to providing adoption brokerage, Pawsitive Alliance has also helped provide more than 3,000 surgeries for spay and neuter to control the explosion in the stray pet population. They assist families in rural counties in central Washington state with funding to access spay and neuter services that they can afford. Services are available for pet owners who qualify as low-income. Collection bins are set out to accept donations for pet care items. Homeless persons who own pets are also provided funding for veterinary services for their pets.

The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Service

PAWS is another organization that is all about animal welfare. The organization operates and maintains three no-kill shelters. Pets under care are given food, medical treatment, and shelter until adoptive families are identified. PAWS also works with other partners to provide low-cost veterinary services for pet owners who are struggling financially. This helpful group of volunteers and staffers have been successful in placing thousands of dogs and cats in loving forever homes each year. PAWS operates two veterinary clinics that make changes that are based on income-sensitive sliding scale fees when necessary, just to ensure that every pet gets the medical care that is needed. Amazingly, over 37,000 pets receive medical care each year, that otherwise would not have the opportunity for needed services. This, in turn, helps to lower the stress of pet owners because they know that their beloved pets are getting the attention they need.

Final thoughts

Although the needs are great and the resources are still far too thin, it is heartwarming to learn about the wonderful people and agencies that are active in providing solutions. Pet owners that have needs without the resources to properly care for their beloved pets should conduct online searches to find out what is available within their local communities. More agencies and special funds are popping up throughout the nation as word of the need for help has spread to the movers and shakers. These are the people who are taking action. The world is filled with tragedy and needs right now. Although it’s been grim, the fields are also ripe with a harvest of helpers. These are the folks who are trying to reach out and provide help for those who are struggling. It’s encouraging to hear about how people are getting involved in projects that help provide the solutions that ease the burden that has been caused by the worldwide pandemic. We’ve just discussed a few of the examples of resources that are out there.

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