Help for Pet Owners
- Details
- Category: Resources
The Animal Protective Foundation is committed to helping pet owners keep and care for their pets, especially during hard economic times.
Following is a list of helpful resources:
- Low-Cost Spay/Neuter
- Pet-Friendly Rental Housing
- Help With Feeding Your Pet
- Rabies Clinics
- Pet Guardian Domestic Violence Program
- Veterinary Assistance
- If You Are Facing Foreclosure
Low-Cost Spay/Neuter and other vet care
Please don’t assume that giving up your pet is your only option. Our Pet-Friendly Rental List includes hundreds of rentals in the Capital District that accept pets. This 25+ page document includes rentals from Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery, Saratoga and Rensselaer counties and is updated regularly. Call (518) 374-3944, ext. 113 for a free "Renting with Pets" guide. Download our Pet-Friendly Rental List.
Property Owners
if you have a pet-friendly rental property that you wish to add to the list, contact us at (518) 374-3944, ext. 113. We have made every attempt to be accurate in these listings, but if you find an error, please let us know so that we can correct it.
The APF has partnered with the Schenectady Inner City Ministry (SICM) Food Pantry to provide free pet food for those in need of temporary assistance. We are regularly supplying cat and dog food, along with cat litter and small animal food, as we have it available. You can help – the APF accepts unopened, not out-of-date packages of all types of pet food (especially dog and cat) and cat litter for this program. It may be dropped off during the shelter’s regular business hours.
This program is open to residents of Schenectady County. The SICM Food Pantry is located at 839 Albany Street in Schenectady. There are no income requirements, but you must bring an ID when you go. You may pick up food for your animals up to four times within a year, based on the date you started. For more information and hours, call the Food Pantry at (518) 346-4035 or visit their website. Please Note: Food is not distributed at the APF. You must go to SICM to receive it.
Rabies vaccination clinics for the public are periodically offered by each county’s Health Department. Links to schedules are provided below.
- Schenectady County Rabies Clinics
Free to Schenectady County residents; donations appreciated
Cats and ferrets: 10:00 am-11:00 am
Dogs: 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Schenectady County Health Department
- Saratoga County Rabies Clinics
Free to Saratoga County residents; donations appreciated
Cats: 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
Ferrets: 7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Dogs: 8:00 pm-9:00 pm
All vaccination certificates are written for one year. If a previous signed certificate is produced, a three year certificate will be written. Cats and ferrets must be in carriers and dogs must be leashed.
- Rensselaer County Rabies Clinics
Free to Rensselaer County residents; donations appreciated
Clinics scheduled at various locations throughout the county. - Albany County Rabies Clinics
Clinics are open to any Albany County resident. Donation is $8 per animal. A record of prior vaccination will be required for a three-year immunization. If no record is presented, a one-year vaccination certification will be issued. Cats and ferrets must be in carriers and dogs must be leashed.
Albany County Health Department
Pet Guardian Domestic Violence Program
Pet Guardian, a partnership program with the YWCA of Schenectady, is for pets belonging to women affected by domestic violence. Pet Guardian provides a safe place for the animals while their owners are in transition to a new home. Learn More
Veterinary Assistance
The APF offers low-cost spay/neuter for cats through our Community Spay/Neuter Partnership. We are unable to provide other types of veterinary care for owned pets. We offer the following resources for pet owners needing assistance with caring for their pets.
- Shop around. Veterinary charges vary widely from practice to practice.
- Ask your veterinarian if they would be willing to work out a payment plan. Many veterinarians are willing to set up a weekly or monthly payment plan so that you do not have to pay the entire cost of veterinary care up front.
- Contact Care Credit, a no-interest credit option.
- If you have a specific breed of dog, contact the National Club for that breed. (The American Kennel Club has a list of the national dog clubs.) In some cases, these clubs offer a veterinary care fund.
- Ask your veterinarian to submit an assistance request to the American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) "Helping Pets Fund." In order to qualify, your animal hospital must be AAHA accredited. To find an AAHA accredited hospital in your area, search online at www.Pets911.com.
- If you purchased your dog from a reputable breeder, check your contract to see if there is a health guarantee that covers your pet's ailment.
- Use your credit card. Ask for a higher credit limit or a cash advance.
- Call your bank. Ask about loan programs or other options they can suggest that might be helpful in your situation.
- Ask your employer for a salary advance.
The following is a list of organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need. Each of these organizations is independent and has its own guidelines, so contact each one separately to determine if you qualify.
- IMOM Inc.
- Help-A-Pet
- The Pet Fund
- United Animal Nations LifeLine Fund
- Angels for Animals
- Feline Outreach
- Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance
- Cats in Crisis
- The Perseus Foundation (cancer specific)
- Canine Cancer Awareness
Take your pets with you when you vacate your home. Never vacate your home and leave pets behind or set them loose. It’s both inhumane and illegal.
- If you leave pets indoors or release them outdoors, state criminal animal-cruelty laws may apply (e.g., abandoning or neglecting your pets), even if you believe you have left sufficient food and water for your pets.
- If you leave pets behind and have arranged for someone to periodically check on them, you may still be in violation of criminal animal cruelty laws. In addition, when the mortgage lender takes possession of the home, your pets are at risk of an uncertain future that may include euthanasia.
If you are unable to take pets with you:
- Ask family, friends or co-workers if they will care for your pets while you relocate.
- Call boarding facilities or ask your veterinarian for suggestions on where you may be able to receive low-cost boarding for your pets, or set up a payment plan for boarding costs while you are in transition.
- If you have no other options, you can surrender ownership of your pets to a rescue group or shelter, such as the APF, but be aware that you will be signing over all rights to the animal. At the APF, every effort will be made to find homes for adoptable animals, but there are no guarantees.
