The McVitie Veterinary Assistance Program assists low-income individuals by providing funding to treat pets with emergency health issues. Emergency veterinary cases are when the animal is at risk of dying or require humane euthanasia if left untreated. All funding decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by program staff in consultation with a veterinarian.
To qualify for veterinary assistance, applicants must:
- Be able to provide evidence of low-income status and be unable to afford all or some of the costs of emergency care via savings or credit.
- Have a pet in need of care that is immediately necessary to save their life. Thanks to a generous funder, we are temporarily also able to consider applications for care that is related to quality of life.
- Be a resident of British Columbia.
- Submit an application prior to treatment.
- Provide a history and photos of the pet as part of the application process.
- Only request financial assistance once in a year for up to two pets per household, and twice in the lifetime of each pet.
- Agree to follow the directions of the veterinarian regarding after care.
Please note: The Vancouver Humane Society screens applications according to a set of criteria. Funding is not guaranteed and will be provided directly to the veterinary clinic. The amount that the Vancouver Humane Society may be able to contribute will depend entirely on the funds available. You may need to work out a payment plan with the veterinary clinic to pay for the remainder of what is not funded by the Vancouver Humane Society.
Phone: 604-336-1390 (voicemail only)
Email: mcvitie@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Hours of program: The Program Coordinator typically works between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. Program decisions are not made on weekends or statutory holidays, including Easter Monday.
Apply for services
To apply for veterinary assistance funding, submit an application below.