The ARL's Veterinary Assistance program is in place to address the critical need for accessible, affordable pet care.
The ARL helps coordinate veterinary assistance for pet owners who are unable to afford the full cost of veterinary services. Funded by generous grants and donations, the program aims to keep pets in their loving homes and prevent them from being relinquished to a shelter due to medical costs. If you are in need of annual vaccinations, please check out our Wellness Clinics.
Veterinary Assistance Application
This application is for Des Moines Metro Area residents only. If you live outside of the metro area of Des Moines, please refer to the resources listed below.
Please DO NOT fill this application out for vaccinations. Please check out our Wellness Clinic page for upcoming clinics.
Important Information for Owners
Owners are typically required to contribute a minimum of $35 to qualify for our Veterinary Assistance Program. We cannot assist with or financially help with veterinary emergencies. If your pet is experiencing an emergency, please contact the emergency veterinary hospitals listed below.
BluePearl Pet Hospital
(515) 727 4872
Iowa Veterinary Specialties
(515) 280-3051
The ARL is also not able to currently assist with dental procedures and major surgeries.
See below for other options for veterinary assistance
The organizations and services listed below are not an endorsement or recommendation. We recommend looking into any organization before seeking financial assistance from them.
Financing Options
Care Credit: Provides a line of credit to pet owners in need of veterinary care
Scratchpay: Provides simple payment plans
VetBilling: Partners with veterinarians to support them in extending installment payment plans to pet owners who do not qualify for or don’t want to use credit-based financing
Wells Fargo Health Advantage® Card: Covers care for you, your family, and pets at thousands of dental, hearing, vision, and veterinary offices nationwide that accept the card
LendingUSA: Veterinary bill financing for those with good or poor credit
United Medical Credit: Helps obtain financing needed for pet’s healthcare procedures
GetFin: Personal loans to pay for pet surgery and vet bills
National Resources for Pet Owners in Need
Brown Dog Foundation: Assists with lifesaving treatments and prescription medications nationwide
CorgiAid: Financial assistance for Corgi and Corgi-mixes
Fetch a Cure: Provides support and assistance for pets with cancer
For the Love of Alex, Inc.: Provides emergency funding for urgent and lifesaving care for pets of low-income families
Frankie's Friends: Provides financial assistance grants to pets in need of lifesaving emergency or specialty veterinary care for those who cannot afford the full cost of treatment
Friends & Vets Helping Pets: Assists families who have financial limitations in order to pay for extraordinary veterinary expenses necessary to save a pet’s life
Guinness Dunn Foundation: Provides financial assistance for emergency veterinary bills, pet food assistance and mobility carts for disabled dogs
Handicapped Pets: Supports handicapped and special needs pets
Hope Mending Hearts Foundation: Helps animals who need immediate veterinary care in order to survive
Live Like Roo Foundation: Provides grant funded financial assistance to help cover healthcare costs related to pet cancer treatments
Lucy the Rescue Dog Inc.: Provides financial assistance for veterinary emergencies for cats and dogs
Magic Bullet Fund: Provides financial assistance for cats and dogs with cancer
Molly's Hope: Provides the necessary financial assistance for emergency medical treatment in the effort to prevent financially driven euthanasia
The Mosby Fund: Offers financial assistance to qualified applicants to help with non-routine medical expenses
My Pet Child: Helps pet owners with financial difficulties
Oscar's Cause: Provides veterinary financial assistance grants to pet owners in need of life saving medical care for their pets
The Onyx & Breezy Foundation: Provides funding and support to pets of individuals where medical hardship is present
Paws 4 A Cure: Provides financial assistance to help families that need non-routine veterinary assistance for all illnesses and injury treatments, including medication, insulin, heartworm positive treatment and medical equipment such as wheelchairs
The Pet Fund: Provides support for non-basic, non-urgent care such as cancer treatments, heart disease, chronic conditions, endocrine diseases, eye diseases, etc.
Pets of the Homeless: Provides pet food and veterinary care assistance for homeless individuals
Poodle Angels Vetcare Program: Assists Poodles owners who cannot afford urgent medical care, surgical procedures or emergency care
RedRover Relief: Provides financial assistance grants and resources for pet owners to care for animals who need urgent veterinary care
Tipper & Squirt Care for Cushings Fund: Provides financial assistance for families struggling to pay medical care costs associated with Cushing’s disease
Violet's Friends in Need: Offers financial assistance for urgent or critical veterinary care, surgeries, therapies or mobility solutions that are too costly for pet parents
Waggle: Crowdfunding for veterinary bills
WestieMed: Provides monetary assistance toward non-routine medical expenses for West Highland White Terriers (Westies) or Westie-mixes who are abandoned, rescued, or recent adoption cases (up to six months) and for whom no other funding is available or is insufficient
Wild Hearts: Provides continuous, comprehensive care to animals with mobility issues and support for the people who love them
The Wishbone Foundation: Helps people care for special needs pets
Zeus Oncology Fund: Provides funding for cancer treatments and surgery for rescue dogs only