Crucial Care Fund Application

The Crucial Care Fund provides financial assistance grants to family owned pets in the state of Florida in need of lifesaving emergency or specialty veterinary care whose caregivers cannot afford the full cost of treatment.

This program is designed to help with the TREATMENT of emergency and specialty medical conditions where the pet would otherwise suffer, be euthanized, or relinquished without proper veterinary care.

If you reside outside of the state of Florida, please apply for assistance through the National Fund instead. 

BEFORE APPLYING: your pet must reside in the state of Florida and have already been seen by a licensed veterinarian that provided a clear diagnosis, treatment plan, and estimate for the cost of care. We do not assist with the cost of the initial exam or diagnostic tests necessary to determine the treatments needed. 

We are only able to assist pets with a "good prognosis" as determined by your veterinarian. If your pet has a "fair," "guarded," "poor," or "unknown" prognosis, we will not be able to assist with the cost of your pet's care.

If your pet has already received the veterinary care needed (surgery has already been performed, etc.) we are unable to assist and encourage you not to proceed with the application. We cannot assist with any invoices that have already been paid or any treatments that have already been performed prior to the completion of the application. 

Our funding is limited. As a result, if the hospital treating your pet has their own foundation or financial assistance program, please do not continue the application process for Frankie's Friends and seek assistance through their foundations instead. 

This includes but is not limited to pets being treated at: 

Banfield (Banfield Foundation Hope Fund Program) FoundationHopeFunds@banfieldfoundation.org

BluePearl (BluePearl Cares Hope Fund Program) info@bluepearlcares.org

VCA (VCA Charities Hope Fund Program) hopefunds@vcacharities.org

Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG Cares)

Grants are not guaranteed, and will not exceed $2000.00 per pet, per household. If applying for assistance with a cruciate or patella repair, the maximum grant amount, if approved, will not exceed $500. While we wish we could help everyone that applies, unfortunately due to the large volume of applications we receive, the funds are only available for pets that meet the criteria for assistance. 

Frankie's Friends and the Crucial Care Fund can only assist families that have a proven financial need as determined by receiving government assistance, or the household income falling below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines.

If you do not receive government benefits or your income exceeds these thresholds listed below, unfortunately you will not qualify for assistance through our programs. 

RULES FOR APPLYING

• The Crucial Care Fund sends funding directly to the treating veterinarians ONLY IF your application is approved and treatment is scheduled. No contributions are EVER given directly to individuals.
• The Crucial Care Fund will not reimburse for "paid invoices” and will not consider reimbursement situations of any kind. If you have already paid your veterinarian for services, please seek other arrangements for assistance.
• A good prognosis is required prior to approving assistance and as a result, we cannot contribute to the cost of any procedures that have already been performed.
• Incomplete requests will be automatically denied, specifically if any piece of required information is left blank or any of the required documentation is not included, we will not be able to assist.
• If you do not receive a confirmation email, your application has not been submitted and our team has not received your request for assistance.
• If your application is submitted Monday through Friday, it is our goal to notify you by email on the same day with questions or follow up regarding your application. Applications submitted on holidays or weekends will not be processed until the following business day.
• If you do not hear back regarding the status of your application within two business days, you may follow up at helprequests@frankiesfriends.com.
• If your application is approved, you must seek treatment within the allotted time period as our funds do expire. This expiration date will be communicated directly to you and your veterinarian at the time of approval.

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

• Assistance is only provided to family owned pets. We are unable to assist with community cats, strays, or animals found by good samaritans.
• Grants will only be awarded to one pet per household. Exceptions will only be considered in the event of natural disasters or extraordinary circumstances.
• Pet must have a life-threatening injury or illness that requires urgent and specific treatment to qualify.
• Assistance is only provided for emergency and specialty veterinary care.
• Pet must have already received a diagnosis and treatment plan from a veterinarian with a good or favorable outcome/prognosis.
• Both the applicant and the animal must live in the state of Florida.

WHAT WE DO NOT FUND

• Office exams or diagnostic testing to determine pet's prognosis
• Basic veterinary care
• Food or basic pet supplies
• Deworming
• Grooming
• Flea treatments
• Routine veterinary care: annual exams, checkups, etc.
• Vaccinations
• Cosmetic procedures
• Monthly medications
• Single treatment of a chronic disease
• Euthanasia or cremations
• Dental care
• Treatment of strays, foster animals, or animals that are part of a rescue
• Treatment of farm animals, animals owned by breeders, or animals used for research or commercial purposes of any kind
• Declawing, ear cropping or debarking surgeries.

If you have read these guidelines and feel your pet's clinical situation and your family's financial situation meet the criteria for assistance, please enter your name below to continue with the application process. 

 

Please sign to proceed to the next page. You will need to enter your name on each page of the application before proceeding. 

BEFORE YOU START

You will need to have the required documentation available to upload into the application to complete the process.  

COLLECT THE FOLLOWING REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

FINANCIAL information

1. Proof of income: 
   1. Check stubs or recent tax forms from the last 6 months for all adults in the home. 
   2. OR proof of receiving government assistance: a Social Security Statement, food stamp card, disability or unemployment benefits for the pet-owner

1. Proof of application for Care Credit or Scratch Pay showing denial for funding, or being approved for an amount that is less than the remaining cost of treatment needed.
2. Documentation of any payments already made to the treating veterinary clinic towards the cost of care, including the cost of the initial exam and any diagnostics prior to treatment for the pet's current condition and care needed.

CLINICAL information:

1. Written cost/estimate for the proposed treatment that's needed with a detailed list of all potential charges. 
2. Prognosis: documentation of a good prognosis with treatment, as determined by a licensed veterinary professional at the treating facility.
3. Medical notes: A detailed statement of the pet’s clinical condition including the medical notes from your veterinarian from the most recent exam and any details explaining the treatment being recommended.

IF YOU NEED TO SAVE YOUR FORM AND CONTINUE LATER

Click the "SAVE" button at the bottom of the page. You will be redirected to a screen where you can save your progress by either: signing up for Jotform using Google, Facebook or Email, or click on the "Skip Create an Account" text at the bottom of the screen. Clicking this will open a window where you can copy the session link, or you can have it sent to your email.

Please sign to proceed to the next page. You will need to enter your name on each page of the application before proceeding. 

If you answered no to any of these questions, you will not meet the criteria for financial assistance. Do not continue with the application, and seek additional resources here instead.

Please sign to proceed to the next page. You will need to enter your name on each page of the application before proceeding.

Please check each box that applies to your current situation (if TRUE, check the box):

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

All of the following documents must be uploaded and attached to this application to proceed. Applications without these documents will not be considered completed and therefore will not be processed or approved for assistance. There are no exceptions.

 

FINANCIAL Information

CLINICAL Information

If you are approved for assistance, we ask you for three things:

1. To let our donors know what their support means to your family: attach 2 photos of your pet plus a note of thanks. Describe what it means to you if you are to receive assistance from the Crucial Care Fund.
2. Pets helped by Frankie’s Friends and the FVMA Foundation are featured on our website as “Happy Tails.” Please share the link to let your friends and family know just how much Frankie’s Friends and the FVMA Foundation has meant to you and your pet.
3. When your financial circumstances change, we hope you will “pay it forward” by helping the next family in need by donating to Frankie’s Friends.

 

Please attach three photos of your pet.

I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE that all of the information I have provided in this application is accurate. I agree that if the treatment plan, estimate, or prognosis for my pet's care changes for any reason, that I will notify Frankie's Friends as it could alter the determination for assistance and my application will need to be reconsidered. I understand that if I am approved for assistance, I am responsible for any costs beyond what Frankie's Friends has agreed to pay towards the cost of my pet's care and that payment will only be made directly to the veterinary clinic, prior to my pet being discharged from care. I understand assistance is not guaranteed and that Frankie's Friends and the FVMA Foundation are not responsible for the medical outcome of my pet's condition. I agree to follow the after care instructions provided from my veterinarian to ensure the best possible outcome for my pet.

I have attached all of the required documentation and I agree to the terms of the application.

This agreement and waiver must be signed by the person(s) seeking funds in order to receive funds from the Crucial Care Fund. 

All recipients and applicants of the Crucial Care Fund funding agree that Frankie’s Friends and the FVMA Foundation is in no way responsible for the outcome of any medical procedure funded in whole or in part by the Crucial Care Fund, nor is Frankie’s Friends or the FVMA Foundation responsible for the outcome of funding being denied in whole or in part to the applicant(s).

Applicants for the Crucial Care Fund funding agree that Frankie’s Friends and the FVMA Foundation will not be liable for any damages or losses as a result of either being denied funding or because of the outcome of any diagnosis or treatment funded in whole or in part by the Crucial Care Fund.

Funding resources are limited, and the Crucial Care Fund makes every effort to use limited funds in the most responsible way. The Crucial Care Fund does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, religious affiliation, or race. The Crucial Care Fund reserves the right to deny funding to anyone for any reason.

This is the entire contract, and no applicant for funding can modify it. This contract is not assignable. Applicants for funding to the Crucial Care Fund waive all laws in conflict with the above agreement.

 

If you have any questions about your pet’s funding, please contact Frankie’s Friends at 888.465.PETS or helprequests@frankiesfriends.com.

Best of luck to you and your pet!