General Information
The Somerset Humane Society was founded in May of 1978 and became an officially recognized 501©3 non-profit organization in July of 1985.
Located in Skowhegan, Maine, SHS is one of the smallest shelters in the State. As a private nonprofit, we do not receive any federal tax money and we are not affiliated with any other national or local humane organization in the United States. We depend almost entirely on the support of individuals, businesses and foundations.
We currently serve 29 towns and 82 Unorganized Somerset County Townships. CLICK HERE for a list with ACO information.
F.A.Q.
It is something no pet parent wants to admit, but not being able to afford a vet happens to people every day. Here at SHS, we understand how helpless you feel when your pets are sick and suffering. We receive a lot of calls from people who are looking for assistance to help with veterinary costs, but SHS is a small shelter with very limited funding so we are unable to help. If you are willing to do some research and explore some options, the following links may be of some help to you and your pet.
CareCredit
CareCredit is a type of credit card that is specifically used for healthcare and they do offer the ability for you to use it for your pet’s care as well.
CareCredit requires and application for approval so you will need to have some type of credit to get this card.
The benefit to using CareCredit is that they offer no interest financing if you pay it off within a specific time frame.
Also not every veterinarian accepts CareCredit – so check with your vet first!
You can also ask your veterinarian if they participate in either of the following programs as well which may offer financing to you. Click the link to learn more about these programs.
Please make sure you read the requirements for each one to ensure you qualify!
Added note: most of these organizations are small – and doing the best they can but sometimes the aid is just a portion of your pets overall costs due to their limited funds. Please use this list as a guide – but keep doing your research to find more ways you can receive financial aid.
Organizations Financial Assistance
Brodie Fund – Cancer
The Brodie Fund offers grants for pet owners who have a pet battling cancer. They do require that your veterinarian be a part of their participating vet list which you can lean more about here.
If your vet is not on the list you can talk to them to see if they can be a part of it.
Dylan’s Hearts – Various
Assists with veterinary bills for urgent medical care that offers a good prognosis for the pet. Applicant must have a diagnosis and treatment plan from their vet for applying.
View more about the eligibility requirements and how to apply here.
JLACF/Frankie’s Friends – Cancer
The Joshua Louis Animal Cancer Fund partnered with Frankie’s Friends with the purpose of helping further the advancements of cancer research in pets and to help families dealing with pet cancer with their veterinary bills.
You can apply for financial help for your veterinary bills if your pet is diagnosed with cancer.
Magic Bullet Fund – Cancer
Also cancer focused, the Magic Bullet Fund accepts applications for cats and dogs who will require cancer treatment and the families cannot afford it.
You can apply for veterinary financial assistance here.
Mosby Foundation – Various
The Mosby Foundation offers veterinary financial assistance for a variety of health care needs but they do have a small list of exclusions. You can learn more about their financial aid opportunities here.
The Brown Dog Foundation – Various
Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families who find themselves with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment -but cannot afford it. There is an application and requirements page here for you to review and apply.
The Onyx & Breezy Foundation – Various
The Onyx & Breezy Foundation was set up to honor beloved pets and they have been giving back ever since! One of their opportunities is for pet owners to receive grants for their pets care by applying for a grant.
There is some paperwork required to apply for the grant – and if you should be the recipient of one, your payment will be sent right to the vet.
Paws 4 A Cure – Various
Dedicated to providing financial assistance to individuals that need non-routine veterinary care for their dog or cat but cannot afford it. Maximum assistance is up to $500 per individual.
You can ask them for veterinary assistance here.
Pet Assistance Inc. – Various
PAi provides assistance to pet owners who have had their pets for years (they do not help with newly acquired pets) and cannot afford the veterinary care for an emergency.
You cane learn more about the requirements here.
The Pet Fund – Various
The Pet Fund is a nonprofit that helps pet owners with their financial needs. They focus on pet care that is not urgent – so if it is an immediate care situation, they cannot help. But if it is cancer diagnosis or other long-term care need – that is where they come in.
You can apply here and be sure to take a peak at their website for more useful information.
As you can imagine – they get a lot of requests, so if you apply – please continue on checking other options on this page!
Pets of the Homeless – Homeless Animals
This organization holds a special place in our heart. They focus solely on helping pets owned by the homeless. If you or someone you know is homeless and has a pet that needs care, this is the group that can help.
There are several ways they can help from free clinics to emergency vet care. You can learn more here.
They also have an interactive map to help you find local resources to assist you.
Red Rover – Various
Red Rover offers assistance to help animals that are part of a domestic violence situation, animals with life-threatening illnesses and those rescued from neglect.
Learn more about the relief opportunities they provide for you and your pet.
Riedel & Cody Fund – Cancer
This fund works with Waggle but offers their own funding. It offers financial assistance to pets with cancer and requires proof from an oncologist.
You can learn more about how they provide financial veterinary assistance here.
Shakespeare Animal Fund – Elderly & Disabled
Grants for veterinary care from Shakespeare Animal Fund are to help the elderly and disabled who have an income under the poverty level guidelines. They offer funding for emergencies of all types and will pay the vet directly.
Read more about their vet grants here.
STARelief and Pet Assistance – Various
STARelief offers several different programs to assist pet owners with their financial needs. They offer help to the homeless, families, military vets and more.
Find out more about who they help here.
Tipper & Squirt Cushing’s Fund – Cushings Disease
This fund was created just to assist pet parents with the costs of care related to Cushing’s disease. Maximum per household per year is $250 and you can learn more here.
Waggle Crowdfunding/Foundation – Various
A newer and unique way of getting funding to help your pet is Waggle!
Waggle is a crowdfunding platform similar to GoFundMe but just for pets. The one differentiating factor is that your veterinarian needs to be a vet member so they can work with Waggle to create a fundraising page for your pet.
Once you know how much you will need for your pet’s care – you can ask the vet to reach out to Waggle to create your fundraising page. Then you can share with friends and family – and Waggle will also share with their community as well.
There is no fee to you and in the end we hope you get enough to pay for your pets care!
They also have a the Waggle Foundation which is a separate way of helping you with grants for your pet’s care.
