It can happen to just anybody during these dark never ending days of economic depression: a pet owner that once used to buy their dog premium dog food, had the dog groomed every week, and gave the best toys on the market, suddenly finds himself feeding his dog cheap foods, saying good bye to nail trims and hair cuts and worse of all, staying away from those yearly veterinarian check ups. How can really an owner afford those expensive vet bills when he is already struggling with bills, food and car payments?

Indeed, this is a very critical situation. And shelters are well aware of it since an economic crisis often sadly translates in more and more abandoned pets. Worse, veterinarians feel the consequences as well. A puppy with Parvo may cost an owner thousands of dollars to be hospitalized with little guarantee of success. Often, this translates in pets being put down and not even given a chance because the vet bills are unaffordable.

Many vet clinincs are not even very collaborative in providing support. Most will not take payment plans unless you are an established client, and some will not even do that if you went there for years. They want a deposit before hospitalizing your pet and will not treat until this deposit is made.

So what can pet owners do when the outlook gets so grim? How can they cope with the guilt of having to put down a beloved pet because they cannot afford treatment? Money cannot be created out of nowhere!

Thankfully, there are several financial institutions to the rescue. They will not of course fill your pockets with dollar bills right away, but they may offer loans with affordable payment plans, and some can get you approved quickly while you are at the vet's office waiting for a decision.

Following are some good financial institutions and solutions to resort to when money is tight and your dog needs help.

PetAssure

According to the website, quoted:

''Pet Assure is the preferred alternative to insurance coverage for your family pet. Unlike pet insurance, all pets are covered; regardless of age, medical condition or any pre-existing condition. There are no exclusions, no deductibles and no waiting for reimbursement.''

Care Credit

According to the website, quoted ''CareCredit works just like a credit card, but is exclusive for health care services. And, it’s better because you get No Interest financing every time you use it. You can use the card over and over for follow-up visits with your veterinarian or pursue the pet dentistry you’ve wanted. This means you don’t have to put your pet’s health care on hold. We give you the power to decide when it’s the right time for you.''

Help a Pet

According to the website, quoted:

''Who We Help: Physically and mentally challenged individuals, Senior citizens, Children of the working poor. Applicants must provide proof of income eligibility. Each owner is asked to pay as much as they can towards the cost in order to spread our assistance to as many pets as possible. Cost-sharing with an applicant indicates the owner's commitment to their pet's well-being, and lets you know your donation is being used as efficiently and sensibly as possible.''

IMOM

According to the website, quoted:

''"Helping people help pets". To better the lives of sick, injured and abused companion animals. We are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged.''

AAHA Helping Pets Fund

According to the website, quoted:

''Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, we offer grants for veterinary care of pets that have been abandoned and those whose owners are experiencing financial hardship. AAHA-accredited veterinary practices may apply for financial assistance on behalf of their clients in need.''

Angels4Animals

According to the website, quoted

''Angels4Animals, a non-profit organization and a program of Inner Voice Community Services, has a mission to serve as the guardian angel of animals whose caretakers find themselves in difficult financial situations. At Angels4Animals we believe that animal owners should not have to say goodbye to the animals that they love. Our work is accomplished in conjunction with veterinary clinics across the country, eager to assist as many animals, and their owners, as possible. Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment to those pets and pet owners in need.''

The Pet Fund

According to the website, quoted:

''The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c) 3 nonprofit association that provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need veterinary care. Often animals are put down or suffer needlessly because their owners cannot afford expensive surgery or medical treatment. Companion animal owners must often make the difficult decision to put an animal down or neglect medical needs because of the costs involved.

Shelters

Visiting non-profit organizations that offer low cost health care could be another good option for struggling pet owners. Local shelters and/or Humane Societies may offer more detailed information about these low cost practices.

As seen, there are various resources to resort to when pet owners are in need. It should never be forgotten that often generous family members, neighbors and friends in their little may give a bit which all together could really make a great difference.