Washington State Animal Health Foundation

We are committed to improving the lives of animals in our state.

Your donations help fund veterinary care for low-income families and provide grants for projects related to disaster relief.

The funds raised by WSAHF provide financial support to supplement a veterinarian’s charitable care for animals from low-income households or for families that have an undue financial burden due to extenuating circumstances. Our goal is to keep the human-animal bond intact by resolving medical issues that will restore the animal’s health and quality of life. This program provides a one-time grant for qualifying cases that are being cared for through qualifying Washington state clinics. There is a simple application form that a Vet will complete to apply for a charitable grant from WSAHF (see:  https://wsahf.org/vets-helping-pets-grant-guidelines/)

The Board Members of WSAHF (and their companion organization the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association) have personally pledged $11,500 in 2024 as a challenge grant, for Washington Gives 2024.  The first $11,500 gifted to WSAHF will be matched dollar for dollar by this generous contribution from these Board Members. 

Here are a few success stories from the WSAHF grants:

Hank

"Hank, an American Bulldog/Boxer mix is the pride and joy of his owner Michael. Because of the Vets Helping Pets grant, we were able to perform the much needed surgery to remove a massive splenic tumor."

Beacon

Beacon, a nearly 5-year-old French Lop mix, has been a part of her mom, Jo’s life since she was just a baby. Inseparable, this delightful little Lop has helped provide the support Jo needs as her emotional service support partner.

Shared Jo, “Beacon has always been my life-saving ‘Beacon’ in life. In good times and when stress gets too much, all I need to do is hold her and I know I will be okay.”

But what to do when your beloved pet and emotional lifeline becomes quite ill and you are unable to cover the care they need? This was the case with Beacon. The team at North Seattle Veterinary Clinic diagnosed little Beacon with uterine cancer and she would need immediate surgery to remove the masses and ward off the spread of this life-altering disease.

Dr. Melissa Nathanson felt Beacon had a great chance for a longer life with this surgical intervention, but knew Jo was not able to cover the expense. This is where the Washington State Animal Health Foundation and its Vets Helping Pets fund came into play. Dr. Nathanson reached out on Beacon’s behalf for a grant and was approved. These funds came in just in time to get Beacon the care she needed.

Now home, Beacon and Jo are back to sharing their lives and providing all the love and support they need for one another.

Koufax

An impossible choice. A beautiful 7-month-old Golden Retriever pup is just starting her life with her new family when the unforeseeable happens; she is hit by a car and gravely injured.

Now, we all hope we will be prepared for an emergency, but like so many things in life, these situations can happen when you are least prepared. That is the case with sweet Koufax’s family. Their pup needed emergency surgery to save her life, but having recently lost a job due to COVID and with the family facing personal medical bills, they did not have the means to cover the care. Their choice was to find a way to get Koufax some help or make the difficult choice to put her down.

Dr. Amanda Smith at Willow Tree Animal Hospital did what she could for Koufax and Koufax’s family. She stabilized their beloved pet and quickly reached out to the Washington State Animal Health Foundation (WSAHF) to apply for a grant as part of the Vets Helping Pets program. This grant, while not covering all of Koufax’s care, was just the help the family needed.

Luckily with the help of Vets Helping Pets, Willow Tree Animal Clinic and the community at large, Koufax received the care she so desperately needed and is now on the road to recovery at home with her family.

There are times when pet owners are faced with financial circumstances beyond their control and they do not have the means to pay for their pet’s essential or lifesaving treatment. Vets Helping Pets can be a resource to WSVMA member practices and their clients so companion animals get the care they so desperately need.