In summary:
- The Vancouver Humane Society and other organizations across B.C. are struggling to keep up with soaring demand for veterinary assistance as more people are grappling with rising costs of living.
- The VHS’s McVitie Fund, which offers urgent life-saving veterinary assistance to pets in low-income households in B.C., has expanded significantly in recent years to try to keep up with the need.
- While so many generous community members are enabling this life-saving work through their support, demand continues to outpace the funds available.
Veterinary support saves lives and keeps families together
Companion animals are an important part of many families in B.C. If a pet has a medical emergency and their guardian doesn’t have the funds available to cover it, the impact can be devastating.
Without support, families may be forced to make the impossible choice to watch their beloved pet suffer or surrender them to an overcrowded shelter and rescue system to get the care they need. Animals may be euthanized if care is delayed too long or if there are no other options.
That’s why veterinary assistance programs like the VHS’s McVitie Fund are so vital. This program helps animals access the treatment they need, then come home safe and healthy to their families who love them.
With rising costs of living, more people need support than ever
But rising demand means the McVitie Fund, and programs at other organizations across B.C., sadly cannot help every pet guardian who reaches out for support.
With cost of living rising more than 30% in the past decade, prices of veterinary care and other essential needs for pets have gone up as more families are struggling to make ends meet.
The rising costs are deeply impacting animal guardians across B.C., leading to more people reaching out for support from organizations like the Vancouver Humane Society and turning to other sources such as crowdfunding to get their pets the life-saving care they need.
The VHS has received more than 14 times as many applications for support this year compared to all of 2020. The McVitie Fund program distributes about $66,000 each month in direct assistance for pets, working with generous veterinarians across the province who offer discounted services to those in need to ensure donated dollars stretch as far as possible. The program has helped more than 1,600 pets this year—more than ever before.
Even with an outpouring of support from caring donors in the community, demand has far outpaced the funds available for this program. Sadly, 630% more applicants were not able to access care this year compared to 2023.
Support pets in need of urgent care
You can help by giving a gift or sharing posts about animals in need on Facebook or Instagram.