It’s a quandary many of us pet parents eventually have to face: How can we get our dogs the veterinary care they need when the costs are often more than we can afford? In heartbreaking worst-case scenarios, dogs and other pets have been euthanized because their pet parents simply could not pay for their care.
Fortunately, the growing popularity of online crowdfunding sites has helped save and improve the lives of many dogs. Through these sites, people can donate as little or as much money as they want toward a dog’s veterinary bill.
But until FundMyPet.com was launched late last year, there was no crowdfunding site dedicated exclusively to pets.
It was inspired by Zane, a German Shepherd who started showing symptoms of hip dysplasia when he was only 6 months old. His dog dad, Brad Maver of Ontario, Canada, couldn’t afford the estimated surgery cost of over $2,000 – but he wasn’t about to let Zane suffer. So he and another animal lover, Chantal Locke, founded FundMyPet in December 2014 to help Zane and other pets get the veterinary services they needed.
“We are extremely passionate about helping animals and are very excited to have created a website that has the potential to save animals’ lives,” Maver said.
FundMyPet simplifies the process of creating an online fundraising campaign, sharing it on social media and accepting donations from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.
As with other crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe.com, pet parents set up an account on FundMyPet.com, create a title for their campaign, and add a photo and story about their pet. The account is connected to Stripe.com, a payment processor similar to PayPal that ensures secure online transactions. Donations are automatically transferred to the pet parent’s bank account within seven days.
Pet parents are encouraged to share the campaign on social media. FundMyPet shares each campaign on its social media accounts as well, ensuring they get as much attention and as many donations as possible.
“While we do allow campaigns for just about any pet expenses, our primary intent is to aid with unexpected pet emergencies and steep vet bills,” Maver said. “We are advocates for responsible pet ownership and always encourage anyone looking into getting a pet to research the costs involved with pet ownership.”
To set up an account or donate to a campaign, visit FundMyPet.com.
Photos courtesy of FundMyPet.com
Have you ever used a crowdfunding site to raise money to pay your dog’s vet bill? Please leave a comment below.