No-Interest Loans for Unexpected Pet Care

Sometimes pets who are well cared for are injured or develop serious, unanticipated illnesses.  Lab work, intensive care, and surgery can be very expensive.   Sometimes pets have terminal diseases and owners must consider euthanasia, which can also be very costly.

For those on limited fixed incomes, paying for the unexpected pet care can seem impossible. While many veterinary hospitals have credit programs, some do not. Some senior pet owners who are on fixed incomes choose not to have credit cards to avoid debt. They will not qualify for a new credit.  Some veterinary clinics are not in a position to advance credit.

Often friends and/or family can come to the rescue, but often there is no help available.

ElderPet has a No-Interest Loan Program for situations like this for responsible pet owners.  Pet owners who wish to look into this program should do the following:

  1. Take the pet to a veterinarian for examination and probable diagnosis. The owner is expected to make arrangements and pay for this initial visit. 
  2. Get an estimate for the recommended diagnostic tests and treatment(s) or surgery.
  3. Contact ElderPet and describe the problem and give ElderPet an estimate of total costs. (ElderPet does not cover costs for vaccines, spays or neuters, parasite prevention, or grooming. Responsible owners should budget for these items.) The owner should be ready to provide references if we require.
  4. If ElderPet agrees to the loan, the pet owner states what they can reasonably afford to pay each month and the time of the month that they can make payment. (This constitutes a verbal agreement.)
  5. ElderPet draws up a legal document that outlines the installment payments due until the loan is paid up. The owner will need to sign this document.
  6. ElderPet pays the veterinarian upon dismissal of the animal; the owner pays ElderPet per agreement.

Note: There is a cap on the maximum amount ElderPet will loan and our population served is low, fixed income seniors and people with disabilities and their pets in the Strafford and Seacoast Rockingham counties. This is not set up to be a "convenience" loan program.

ElderPet will be happy to consult with pet owners, social workers, or veterinarians about this program on individual basis.