For pet parents like Trisha, a lack of affordable veterinary care impacted her family first-hand when her beloved cat Prince was diagnosed with a urethral obstruction, a condition that is life threatening to cats. Prince would need a surgery that was out of reach for Trisha and her family. Faced with a heartbreaking decision, Trisha turned to the Toronto Humane Society, a PetSmart Charities of Canada grantee, for help.
“When I come home, Prince is there waiting at the door for me, and he literally makes me drop everything and give him attention, said Trisha, Prince’s pet parent. “He knows what I need, and he’s there, and sometimes I say ‘Hi’ to him before I say ‘Hi’ to my kids and husband. He does a lot for me.”
Nearly 1 in 5 pet parents in Canada have wanted or needed preventive care for their pets but have not been able to access it due to affordability or inability to get an appointment. To help improve access to veterinary care, PetSmart Charities of Canada has committed $18 million over five years to tackle some of the issues at the root cause of this alarming statistic.
One of the ways PetSmart Charities of Canada is helping is to expand availability of low-cost veterinary care through multi-year grants that support the expansion of low-cost veterinary clinics. In the city of Toronto, affordability remains a critical issue. That’s why the services offered by Toronto Humane Society are so critical. With costs of veterinary care out of reach for so many pet parents, families are being faced with heartbreaking decisions related to their pets’ care. "When we came here, things turned around, and they were able to help us,” recalls Trisha.
“We really strongly believe in the power of the human-animal bond and doing what we can, when it is in the best interest of the person and that pet, to do what we can to keep them together,” said Dr. Karen Ward, DVM and chief veterinary officer at Toronto Humane Society. “Through working with PetSmart Charities of Canada, we have been able to really expand our mission and touch on the lives of so many more people and pets.”
Rising costs and other barriers to veterinary care mean millions of pets across the country don’t receive crucial services such as spay/neuter procedures, vaccinations and critical medical and preventative care. “Often when people are looking for support for things that they’ve tried to secure in the private [veterinary] sector, when they get to us and they become aware of what we’re able to provide, and at what cost we’re able to provide, I think shock is probably the first feeling, but then relief,” said Phil Nichols, CAWA, RVT and CEO at Toronto Humane Society. “[For] surgical procedures or basic veterinary care, when they find out that we are able to offer them something that keeps their family whole, being able to see that emotional impact and the value that it carries is pretty profound.”
“Rising costs are putting standard veterinary care out of reach for too many pet-owning families across Canada,” said Kate Atema, director of community grants and initiatives at PetSmart Charities of Canada. “We need innovative solutions that make veterinary care affordable for the families in every community who want the best for their four-legged companions but struggle to meet the cost of vet care. We’re inspired by the incredible work The Toronto Humane Society is doing to create solutions that will build strong families and a healthy community.”
Through partnerships and grant funding, pets like Price are getting the care they need to stay healthy and together with their families. “There’s no appreciation I can offer more to the Humane Society for doing what they did for Prince and my family,” said Trisha.
Together, we can help keep pets together with their families by making veterinary care more accessible and affordable. Every dollar makes a difference in ensuring that more pets receive the care they deserve and that families experience the joy of having a healthy and happy companion.
