What we provide for owned pets in need

---

A: Paw Street can only assist families that have a proven financial need as determined by receiving government assistance, or with a household income at or below the Income Guidelines stated in the chart below.

If your household income exceeds these thresholds listed below, unfortunately you will not qualify for assistance through our programs. 

**All Pet Owners are expected to provide the basics for their pets such as food and annual vaccinations. Some exceptions apply. 

. 

Household          Monthly Income             Yearly Income

1                                  $2510                                  $30120

2                                 $3407                                 $40880

3                                 $4303                                 $51640

4                                 $5850                                 $70200

5                                 $6858                                 $82305

• Proof of income or government benefits such as SSI/SSDI
• Current State ID for primary pet owner
• Proof of Pet Ownership
• Other documents may be required  
  
  
  

A:  Unfortunately, the answer is no.! Pets that are qualified to receive assistance must be a cat or dog that has an established history with the primary pet owner. We do not provide assistance for puppies, kittens, stray animals, community cats, breeders, new pets or foster pets.  Make sure that you can afford to care for a new pet before bringing it home. 

A:  You must provide proof of pet ownership along with your personal documents when requested by a Paw Street case manager. Without proof of ownership, you will not qualify for financial assistance for veterinary care and other services. 

 Examples of ownership are:

• Past or recent vet record
• Rabies vaccination certificate - $17 at VHS
• City Pet License from local Animal Control - $10 Evansville Animal Control
• Adoption contract
• Microchip registration or number - $25 at VHS and Animal Control
• Lease that contains your pet's name
• Spay/Neuter Certificate

This is non-negotiable.  If you do not have a record that shows you are the owner of the pet, please get one of the items from the list above as soon as possible. 

Please keep in mind that Rabies Vaccinations are mandatory by law. 

A: Paw Street provides financial assistance for non-basic & urgent care for sick and injured pets that would otherwise go untreated or surrendered to a shelter. 

Approval for financial assistance is based on many factors such as estimated costs, diagnosis/prognosis (favorable vs unfavorable) owners ability to afford ongoing treatment and availability of funds. 

Clients seeking financial assistance for treatment of a sick or injured pet must first exhaust all other resources such as CareCredit, other credit cards, savings, asking for help from family, friends and in cases where cost is high - hosting a fundraiser to help cover costs of treatments by a veterinarian.  Seeking financial assistance from Paw Street should be a last resort. 

Financial assistance WILL NOT be approved for any medical care, diagnostic tests or treatment that has already taken place. We DO NOT reimburse clients for bills that have been previously paid. 

We cannot provide financial assistance if there is a previous balance due to the attending veterinarian until previous balance is paid in full. 

In cases where cost will be substantial, Clients may be referred to other outside organizations that provide a portion of financial assistance for vet care.   We may ask pet parents to provide some amount towards the cost of vet care or host a fundraiser campaign to cover a portion of the vet bill.  

**In most cases, Paw Street is not able to provide financial assistance for Emergency Care, After Hours Emergencies or Specialty Pet Hospitals unless there is substantial time for a special fundraiser. 

It's important to know that we only provide TEMPORARY assistance for pets that have well established bonds and a positive history with their owners.  
We do not provide assistance for breeders, puppies, kittens, stray animals, community cats. or fosters. Contact us if you need help finding other organizations that provide assistance to pet owners who has a pet that falls into one of these categories. 

Applicants must live in a household where at least one pet owner is working, actively seeking work or receives income from a government benefit such as SSDI/SSI.  It is crucial that pet owners are able to provide food and basic care for their pets most of the time. We understand that there are circumstances that make employment difficult, even impossible for some pet owners. Persons who do not work due to certain circumstances may be asked to explain their current situations and/or provide verifying documentation from a social worker or case manager. 

Rabies and Core Vaccinations are the responsibility of the pet owner except in cases where they are required to treat a sick or injured pet. 

Paw Street will cover the cost of Rabies vaccine when required for housing or when a person and their pet are homeless. 

Clients must provide their own transportation to and from vet visits and picking up pet supplies. 

ALL pets must be spayed or neutered in order to receive financial assistance.  If you have a sick or injured pet that is not fixed at the time, we offer free to low cost spay/neuter options that must be agreed upon before approval for vet care can be granted. 

Exceptions- medical exemptions verified by a veterinarian.