Grants and Assistance

- American Humane - Grants and awards
- American Kennel Club - The rescue grant program provides financial assistance to canine rescue groups for significant expenses. Grants are used to help cover the costs of veterinary care, spaying and neutering, vital supplies, and more.
- Animal Farm Foundation - Grants available for sustainable shelter programs to keep pets and people together. Many pets are relinquished to shelters due to financial and medical challenges. Shelters can receive up to $30,000 in funding for sustainable program proposals. The People and Pets Together Grant supports the development of sustainable services or policy changes to keep people and pets together with the aim of reducing barriers to pet retention.
- ASPCA - Grant opportunities
- ASPCApro - List of other animal welfare funders
- The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement - Grant database
- Best Friends Animal Society - Save Them All Grants
- HumanePro - Grant opportunities for animal welfare organizations
- Ohio Animal Foundation - Statewide small grants program awarded to Ohio nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of animals.
- Ohio Animal Health Foundation - Offers grants and funds projects that make a difference in the lives of animals and people in Ohio
- Ohio Pet Fund - Spay/Neuter grants
- Ohio Animal Welfare Federation - Grant opportunities
- The Onyx & Breezy Foundation - Provides funding and support to shelters, rescues, foster groups and sanctuaries
- Petco Love - Animal welfare grants
- Private School Pups - provides financial aid to rescue shelters for education and training for rescue dogs.
- American Humane - Pet disaster preparedness resources
- American Red Cross - Pet disaster preparedness and learning how to prepare your pets for an emergency evacuation and help them recover afterward
- American Veterinary Medical Association - Disaster preparedness for veterinarians and clients, including Pet Evaluation Kit and Save the Whole Family resource
- ASPCA - Disaster Preparedness for Pets Guide, free Pet Safety Pack with window decals, and downloadable Disaster Prep Checklist
- Best Friends Animal Society - Emergency response resources and online Emergency Response Training module, "Preparing You and Your Pets for Disasters”
- CalFire Wildland Fire Safety for Live stock and Pets - Guidance for safe and efficient evacuation of animals during wildfires
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Build a pet disaster preparedness kit and printable resources
- CNET: Keep Your Pets Safe During Wildfire Evacuation - If you live in an area prone to any natural disaster, follow these key pet safety tips
- FEMA - Are you “Petpared” for Disasters?
- Home Advisor - Fire prevention, preparedness, and recovery for pet owners
- HSUS - Guide to disaster preparedness for pets
- Ohio State University Ohioline - Emergency Plans for Pets
- RedRover - Pet disaster preparedness tips and essentials checklists
- RedRover Responders - Providing vital emergency sheltering assistance for animals displaced by natural disasters or rescued from cruelty situations
- Ready.gov - Prepare your pets for disasters
- If your animal requires emergency veterinary care and you can't afford treatment, one option is to contact nearby veterinary colleges to see if they have any emergency assistance programs. If you are unsure what qualifies as emergency veterinary care, call your veterinarian and describe the symptoms. Some animal shelter and community clinics will also provide emergency care on a limited basis.
- Best Friends Animal Society - Pet financial assistance resources.
- Black and Orange Cat Foundation - Sterilizes feral cats in Madison and Union Counties in Ohio; bandocats@gmail.com
- Bo Paws-It-Forward - Provides grants for veterinary expenses such as vaccines, dental, microchips, spay/neuter, surgery, physical therapy, and professional veterinary behaviorist evaluations; bopawsitforward@gmail.com
- Brown Dog Foundation - Helps with prescription medications and medical expenses.
- Bummer Fund - Provides grants for medical crisis for Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties.
- Central Ohio Pit Savers - Offers emergency life-saving veterinary assistance for dogs of Franklin County Ohio residents; copitsavers@gmail.com
- Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund - Funds emergency and specialty veterinary care for Miami Valley families and their pets.
- Frankie’s Friends - Provides financial assistance grants to family owned pets in need of lifesaving emergency or specialty veterinary care such as cancer or specialty eye care.
- Friends & Vets Helping Pets - Funds treatments for curable diseases such as tumors, broken bones, ambulatory care, expensive medication, or post-surgical prosthetics such as a K-9 cart; info@FriendsandVetsHelpingPets.org
- Frosted Faces Foundation - Provides veterinary care that is required to maintain and enhance the quality of life for senior animals. They can also help with food, supplies, training, grooming, pet deposits, fence repairs, and impound fees.
- Hope Mending Hearts - Provides financial and resource assistance for urgent veterinary care.
- Land of PureGold Foundation - Provides $1,000 grants to working dogs diagnosed with cancer; foundation@landofpuregold.com
- Lexi’s Legacy - Funds necessary medical treatments for certain serious conditions and emergency services; info@lexis-legacy.org
- Live Like Roo Foundation Medical Application - Provides financial assistance to help cover healthcare costs related to cancer treatment.
- Magic Bullet Fund - Provides assistance for cancer treatments, surgery, or chemotherapy.
- MedVet Charitable Foundation - Central Ohio.
- Miranda’s People - Dedicated to assisting dogs with cancer; info@mirandaspeople.org
- The Mosby Foundation - Assists in the care for critically sick, injured, abused and neglected dogs through financial support.
- NAVS Sanctuary Fund - For animal rescues, shelters, and sanctuaries in desperate need of emergency assistance across the United States.
- Ohio Paws with Purpose - Statewide program that assists with medical costs for animals with illness or in need of surgery as well as euthanasia costs; ohiopawswithpurpose@gmail.com
- The Onyx & Breezy Foundation - Provides financial assistance for spay and neuter, rescue of animals from kill shelters, food, medicine, and supplies; info@onyxandbreezy.org
- Paws for a Cure - Provides financial assistance throughout the United States for veterinary care for all illnesses and injury treatment which also includes medication, insulin, Heartworm positive treatment and medical equipment such as wheelchairs.
- The Animal Health Organization (TAHO) - Provides financial assistance to individuals who can demonstrate need. TAHO also offers pet food, safety equipment, and enrichment materials.
- The Pet Fund - Provides financial assistance for non-basic, non-urgent care such as cancer treatment, heart disease, chronic conditions, endocrine diseases, eye diseases; info@thepetfund.com
- Petfinder Foundation - Statewide program that assists Petfinder members caring for pets through medical, disaster, and enrichment grants.
- RedRover - Statewide assistance for pets with life-threatening injuries or illnesses.
- Valley Save-a-Pet - Provides statewide assistance for emergency veterinarian care statewide; (440) 232-9124
- Violet’s Friends in Need - Offers financial assistance for urgent or critical veterinary care, surgeries, therapies or mobility solutions that are too costly for pet parents.
- Waggle - Crowdfunding platform that acts as a trusted safety net individuals and organizations can turn to when they lack the funds to cover essential veterinary treatment.
- American Humane - What to do if you find a lost pet
- ASPCA - Finding a lost pet
- Best Friends Animal Society - How to find a lost dog, cat, or other pet
- The Center for Lost Pets - Central location where people who have lost and found pets can connect
- Humane Society of the United States - How to Find a Lost Dog and How to Find a Lost Cat
- Missing Animal Response Network - A worldwide network of missing animal response specialists
- PawBoost - Free platform and community dedicated to reuniting lost pets with their people. Users can instantly create a free alert on the website or by downloading the mobile app. Their Rescue Squad spreads the word quickly and helps increase the chances of finding lost pets.
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - How to find your lost dog or cat
- Petco Love Lost - Free national lost-and-found database for pets using image recognition technology to help families reunite with their missing pets via one photo. Additional lost pet tips here.
- Pet FBI - Free searchable database of lost and found pets. Owners and finders can quickly create a report and download a flyer. Reports are shared on social media and users receive email alerts of potential matches. The website contains tips to help families find their lost pets.
- 4 Principles of the Microsanctuary Movement - Sentient Media, January 19, 2023
- Microsanctuary Resource Center - Grants and resources
- OAA Microsanctuary Guide
- The Open Sanctuary Project - Specific species care
- The Sanctuary in Your Backyard: A New Model for Rescuing Farmed Animals - Our Hen House
- What is a Microsanctuary? - Microsanctuary Resource Center
- Video: “So You Want to Start a Sanctuary?” PEACE Rescue and Support, 2020
- For help with housing, food, paying bills and more, visit findhelp.org or 211.org.
- American Humane - Foreclosure pets fact sheet
- ASPCA - Cohousing as a solution for people with pets experiencing homelessness
- Best Friends Animal Society - Pet assistance resources for economic hardship
- Faithful Forgotten Best Friends - provides pet food, basic wellness veterinary care, and assistance with spay and neuter to the pets of low-income or unhoused Franklin County residents.
- Feeding Pets of the Homeless - Pet food donation sites, wellness clinics, emergency care program, pet crates, veteran pet support, and more. Resource list here.
- Humane Society of the United States - Resources for families experiencing hardship
- Pet Financial Aid Resources for Low-Income Families
- Pet Help Finder - Pet food pantries, low-cost veterinary services, and other resources
- Petsmart Charities - The Preserving Families new funding initiative supports programs that keep people and pets together through times of crisis, such as domestic violence, homelessness and hospice situations.
- RedRover - Safe Housing grant opportunity that will award up to $60,000 to homeless shelters in the U.S. who would like to create pet housing programs.
- The Street Dog Coalition - Provides free veterinary care and related services to pets of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
- Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement - Resources, education, and other supportive services
- Best Friends Animal Society - Grieving the loss of a pet: resources for coping
- The Cornell Pet Loss Support Hotline - Staffed by volunteer veterinary students who have undergone extensive training with professional grief counselors. Call 607-218-7457. Check website for hours and availability.
- Doris Day Animal Foundation - Rainbow bridge memorials (add your story)
- Grief Healing - Pet loss helplines and virtual support groups
- Hoofbeats in Heaven - Horse loss support group
- Human Animal Bond Trust - Free virtual pet loss support group that meets weekly via Zoom
- Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center - Free virtual pet loss support group that meets twice monthly via Zoom. Open to anyone who has lost a pet—your pet did not have to be a patient at MSU’s Veterinary Medical Center for you to attend the group.
- Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center - Pet loss support and online resources
- The Pet Loss Support Page - In-person and virtual support groups and individual counseling for those experiencing pet loss.
- Lap of Love - Offers counseling, support groups, and a list of universities that offer counseling as well as explanations for some questions people may have about pet loss. Also provides end-of-life services in-home for pets.
- Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement - Gives those experiencing pet loss an opportunity to enter chat or video support groups, recommends readings that may help process pet grief, and gives guides to things like anticipatory grief, euthanasia, and how to cope with grief.
- Video - “Pet Loss Grief: The Pain, Explained,” TEDx, November 2022
- Introduction to Pet Planning for Animal Owners Handout – This step-by-step guide, written by Laura J. Martin, discusses the importance of including your pet in estate planning.
- If you need immediate help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233.
- American Kennel Club - Women’s Shelters Grant supports domestic violence shelters that have safe havens for pets. Funds essential operations or capital improvements specifically for the pet safe havens.
- Animal Welfare Institute - Safety Planning for Pets tool for survivors and their advocates
- Don’t Forget the Pets - Provides support and resources to organizations throughout the country, giving them the tools they need to build programs for people and pets in crisis.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline - Pet safety during domestic violence and safety planning with pets
- OAA Statewide Resources - list of safe havens that allow pets in Ohio
- Purina Purple Leash Project - Provides grants to help ensure domestic violence shelters offer pet-friendly services so no survivor has to choose between their own safety and the safety of their pet.
- RedRover - Offers Safe Escape grants to help survivors and pets find safety from abuse, and Safe Housing grants to help shelters provide a safe space for pets. Additional domestic violence resources for individuals and organizations here.
- Safe Havens For Pets - searchable directory for pets of those experiencing domestic violence, created and managed by the Animal Welfare Institute
- Sheltering Animals and Families Together (SAF-T) - List of pet-friendly domestic violence shelters by state
- Assistance Dogs International - Worldwide coalition of non-profit programs that train and place Assistance Dogs
- Assistance Dogs United Campaign - Operated in association with The Assistance Dog Institute, this nonprofit helps people with disabilities find funding to purchase service dogs.
- International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) - A program for IADDP members whose assistance dogs require emergency veterinary care. Only a veterinarian can make the request for a grant; contacting the program directly results being barred from grant eligibility.
- International Guide Dog Federation - Information on Guide Dogs and where to find a provider
- National Association of Guide Dog Users - Committed to enhancing the lives of guide dog users, addressing common challenges, and expanding opportunities for those who rely on guide dogs for independent travel.
- US Department of Veterans Affairs - Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services, Service Dog Veterinary Health Insurance Benefit
- BioLEAP Classroom Grant - Awards up to $1,000 to offset the costs of purchasing non-animal dissection alternatives, as well as any necessary teacher training. Use your BioLEAP Classroom Grant to provide your students with a more innovative, and more effective, approach to learning the life sciences.
- Classroom Pet Alternatives - HEART and TeachKind share several ways to teach about animals and responsibility without classroom pets, including story times, nature walks, animal “adoptions,” service learning, growing plants and gardens, and more.
- OAA Humane Education Resources - We offer a comprehensive resource library of books, lesson plans, research, funding, and much more for educators looking to incorporate humane education in the classroom.
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - Answers to a Humane Educator’s Frequently Asked Questions
- Dogs on Deployment - provides an online network for service members to search for volunteers who are willing to board their pets during their owner's service commitments. Also grants financial assistance for military pet owners during times of emergency.
- Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pets - assists Veterans with veterinary care and temporary pet boarding expenses.
- Ohio Paws with Purpose - Covers the adoption fee, up to $200, for one rescue/shelter companion dog or cat for veterans residents of Lake, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Ashtabula Counties. Proof of service is required. Form DD214 would qualify as proof of service. Email ohiopawswithpurpose@gmail.com to apply for this program.
- Operation We Are Here - Pet resources for military & veteran families
- Pets for Patriots - Veteran benefits including adoption specials, veterinary care support, counseling, and a hardship program that helps veterans in crisis provide for their adopted pets
- Pets for Vets Cleveland Chapter - Bonding veterans with trained working animals
- The Onyx & Breezy Foundation - Provides funding and support to help the dogs of veterans suffering from PTSD; info@onyxandbreezy.org
- US Department of Veterans Affairs - Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services, Service Dog Veterinary Health Insurance Benefit
- Veteran.com Community - How to adopt a military working dog
- Veteran Companion Animal Services - Rescue dog placements and dog training programs in Ohio
- Best Friends Animal Society - Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Resources
- Humane Society of the United States - How to tell if baby animals are orphaned, injured or perfectly fine—and what to do if they need your help
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Orphaned and Injured Wildlife resources and downloadable maps, brochures, and posters (report wildlife crimes and poaching here)
- Ohio Division of Wildlife - List of Permitted Wildlife Rehabilitators (2024-2025) and downloadable pamphlet
- Ohio Wildlife Center - Have You Found an Animal? Online Tool
- Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Association - What to do if you find an injured or orphaned animal
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - Wildlife Emergencies: How to Help and When Not to Interfere

We continuously update our data through volunteer managers. The resources and information provided on this website are meant to assist those in need. Although we make every effort to keep our resources current, we cannot guarantee its accuracy as links can change without our knowledge. Additionally, OAA cannot be responsible for the content of the pages linked or the actions of the groups or services represented therein. If visitors have corrections to suggest, or to add an agency to our directory, please contact us at info@ohioanimaladvocates.org.