Pet . Therapy. Notes...
solution center:
pause the rehome. take a really deep breath.
is this a solvable issue?
Financial and behavioral resources for keeping families intact.
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We live in a time when people are recognizing the barriers to pet ownership and taking action to support the human/animal bond. In many areas, shelters have established pet food banks and offer low-cost veterinary services, free/low-cost spaying/neutering, and routine vaccinations. There are even a limited number of grants for non-routine medical needs and free training resources.
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general.​
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If you are facing a situation that leads you to believe rehoming is the only option, Keep With Love is here to help you problem-solve. Areas include: Housing, Financial, Behavior, Medical, and Life Changes.
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​financial support.​​
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Pet Help Finder is powered by Open Door Veterinary Collective, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit. They provide "Financially Friendly" veterinary practices in your area.​​
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"Together we can eliminate economic euthanasia and owner surrenders."
Convenient, affordable way to finance veterinary care without delay through installment plans, making bills more manageable. To find a participating provider in your area, search by zip code. Each veterinarian sets their own terms and conditions for the payment plan. If your veterinary practice is not listed, the practice can contact Vet Billing for information on partnering.
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PGSF is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit tax-deductible fund. Their mission is to prevent economic euthanasia for treatable pet emergencies by providing financial assistance to pet owners experiencing financial hardship. PGSF helps with pets experiencing life-threatening emergencies, with diagnosis of a treatable condition, and a good return to a normal quality of life is expected. Emergencies that do not qualify include, but not limited to, orthopedic, poor return to quality of life, heart disease, neoplasia, and chronic disease. They work directly with participating veterinary clinics to help pets in need. If you need assistance, contact your veterinary provider and encourage them to partner with PGSF for your pet’s care.
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Humane World for Animals - Directory of Resources
Find pet food and supplies, low-cost veterinary care, and GRANT programs offering financial assistance for pet care.
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Red Rover Directory of Financial Assistance Programs
Red Rover provides an extensive directory of GRANTS for emergency pet care- organized by national, state, breed-specific, and condition-specific grants.
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fundraising.
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​​​​​​​Online Fundraising Campaign
Waggle is the first and only pet-dedicated crowdfunding platform devoted to raising funds for pets in medical crisis. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, any donation made to your Waggle fundraiser is TAX-DEDUCTIBLE! This is a huge incentive for donors to give through Waggle over other crowdfunding platforms. Waggle provides step-by-step instructions from writing your story to sharing the fundraiser. To ensure everyone's safety and security, Waggle collects the funds and pays your veterinarian directly.
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Old Fashion Fundraisers
Have friends with a business? Inquire as to if they can do a fundraiser on your behalf.
Yard Sale, Carwash, Bake Sale, get creative...
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credit services.
​​Care Credit and Scratch Pay are credit cards that can be used for routine veterinary appointments, emergency pet care, or a variety of surgeries and treatments in their respective networks. **These are credit cards and subject to credit approval.
**Be mindful that many credit cards will offer "no interest if paid in full by (DATE)."
If the entire bill is not paid, interest is typically charged on the full borrowed amount (not the current balance). I cannot speak for these credit services, but it is important to be aware of the fine print.
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low cost veterinary care.
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​​​Petco Love
Free and low-cost vaccination clinics held at various Petco locations.
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Helping Hands Veterinary Surgery & Dentistry of Virginia
Helping Hands provides quality veterinary, surgical, and dental services at affordable prices. Located in Richmond, VA, people travel from all parts of the country to take advantage of their affordable services. Helping Hands does not offer routine wellness checks; rather, they work through veterinarian referrals to perform over 40 surgical and dental care procedures recommended by your veterinarian. ​
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training resources & support.​​​​
If you’re feeling defeated, I’m here to assure you that things can improve! I liken training to couples counseling: all parties need to work on their stuff, and that includes the human learning how to be a pet parent.​​ We need to remember that, like children, puppies come into our lives knowing nothing about how to be in the world, and adult animals may have learned the wrong way to be in the world. As pet parents, it’s up to us to give our pets the time and space to decompress, and the resources and support to be their best selves. But to do this, we need to know how to support them, and working with a trainer or behaviorist can help.
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If you are unable to afford one-on-one training, the following are some complimentary training resources for specific behavioral concerns. Additionally, please visit my challenging relationships page for emotional support as you navigate the ups and downs of getting to know each other.
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Free/Low-cost training resources
​​ASPCA Pet Care
Directory of everything pet care from basic new parenting tips to targeting specific behaviors.
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Provides TONS of Behavior and Training Resources in their blog and also offers advice for working with a wide variety of specific dog and cat behaviors on their Help To Keep Your Pet page.
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Free and Low-Cost Training Videos
Victoria Stilwell is a world-renowned dog trainer best known as the star of the international hit TV series It's Me or the Dog. Check out her online courses for general training for new pet parents, as well as targeted courses for specific behavioral concerns.
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Your Dog’s Friend is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization working to improve dogs’ lives, reduce problem behaviors, and keep dogs out of shelters, by educating and supporting their humans. They have a YouTube channel featuring recordings of their free webinars on a variety of behavior-related issues, as well as "Behavior Issues A-Z."
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Ann King: Canine Behavioral Consultant
​Ann is a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant who has worked with dogs in rescues and shelters for more than 30 years. She developed "Rescue S.M.A.R.T." as a resource for dog rescue organizations, dog fosters, and new dog adopters to help give dogs the best chance possible at finding and staying in their forever homes. Her site offers a free training library on a variety of training resources.
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Certified Behavior Consultants
Behavioral Consultants are experts in canine psychology. They look at the underlying reasons behind the behavior and use advanced, humane techniques for complex issues when basic training is not enough.
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​​​​Rescued by Training
Kate LaSala, CTC, CBCC-KA, PCBC-A, CSAT, FFCP-E is a professional dog trainer and certified behavior consultant specializing in fear and aggression management. A behaviorist has additional training in animal behavior and uses advanced techniques for complex issues when traditional training isn't enough. I first learned about Kate when I heard her as a guest on a podcast (link below). I was so impressed by how skilled she was at discussing challenging pet relationships, and in a candid, nonjudgmental way, that I googled her name and binge-watched all of her appearances. Hearing her speak was the first time I felt someone understood - and normalized - what I had been through. Listening to her, I felt compassion for myself rather than a sense of failure for not unconditionally loving my dog, and I had hope. In addition to traditional training, she offers consultations to guide pet parents through difficult decisions, including rehoming, surrendering, and behavioral euthanasia. She just might save your relationship - or at least leave you with more clarity and peace in whatever decision you make.
As a former shelter trainer, she partners with rescues and shelters to help adopted and foster dogs succeed by offering free downloads addressing various dog behaviors, as well as her blog, "All Things Dog and Behavior Training." She offers a free checklist with her top ten suggestions to consider before surrendering or rehoming your dog.
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Laura Cassidy - Certified Cat Behavior Consultant
After volunteering and fostering with cat rescues for several years, Laura recognized the need for improved treatment and understanding of shelter cats’ behavior and body language. With a goal of preventing cats from entering shelters by addressing behavior issues in private homes. Laura offers virtual consultations on litter box issues, inter-cat conflict, aggression, destruction, and more. She also provides consultations on behavioral euthanasia. She also has a blog with free cat behavior resources.
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​​​​​​​​Some of my favorite articles.
​Rehoming is an option, but it shouldn’t always be the first move.​​​
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The 3-3-3 Rule For Dogs: Adopted Dog Adjustment Period Explained
Find out how to set your adopted rescue dog up for success.​
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temporary help.
​​If you need temporary housing for your pet while you get back on your feet, consider reaching out to friends, family, your veterinarian, local boarding facilities, and even where you originally got the pet from to see if they are willing to "foster" your pet.
See rehoming resources for tips on advertising your pet and writing a bio.
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Domestic Violence - RedRover Relief Safe Escape Grant Program
Funding is mainly provided to help with the cost of up to 45 days of pet boarding while a survivor is in a domestic violence shelter. Applications must be submitted by a domestic violence advocate and will be responded to within one business day.
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Safe Havens for Pets is a searchable directory for pets of those experiencing domestic violence and/or homelessness.
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“Dogs on Deployment is committed to serving the United States military community by providing vital assistance for their pets during times of deployment. Our mission encompasses offering comprehensive support systems that facilitate pet care solutions, ensuring peace of mind for actively deployed personnel. We focus on alleviating the emotional strain of military commitments by securing loving temporary homes for pets, thus fostering the well-being of both pets and their owners.”
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Home to Home is a nonprofit online platform that helps people find new or temporary housing for their pets without involving the stress of the shelter environment. Their goal is to connect pet parents directly with potential adopters or fosters. The site takes you through a step-by-step process to post your pet, either for temporary fostering or rehoming.
from the blog.​​​​
Rehoming Pets: Beware of the Comments. We Need To Stop Bullying People Away From Seeking Help.
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rehoming support.
Because sometimes, no matter how hard we try, rehoming is necessary.
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practical resources to rehome a pet​​​​​​​​​