Grant Eligibility Requirements

• Are you from Beaufort County or Jasper County, South Carolina?
• Are you seeking medical assistance from an approved Broken Tails Veterinarian?
• Have they informed you that your cat/dog’s condition is life threatening or expected to deteriorate rapidly without treatment?
• Are you able to provide financial documentation that supports your financial hardship? (Note: Approved Rescue organizations need to provide annually not on case by case basis.)
• Have you applied for CareCredit, Scratch and exhausted all other avenues of resources for funding (e.g., family members, friends, social media, other credit card companies)?  See the “RESOURCES” page for more funding ideas.
• Is the prognosis for this cat/dog good to excellent?
• Are you willing to provide safe, warm, indoor housing for your cat/dog while he/she is in recovery?
• Are you able to provide post-operative care which may include medicine, therapy and follow up appointments as prescribed by your Veterinarian?   Broken Tails expects compliance with all post operative care, failure to do so will impact grant eligibility.
• Is the cat/dog considered part of your family such that you intend to care for him/her for the rest of their natural life?
• Is your cat/dog spayed or neutered? ALL cats/dogs that receive Broken Tails funding MUST be spayed or neutered before, during or after treatment. If a cat/dog is not spayed or neutered at the time funding is given, it will be sterilized at the time of the procedure – assuming it does not threaten the health of the cat/dog. If the cat/dog cannot be sterilized at the time of the initial treatment, the pet parent must agree to have the animal sterilized within a set time frame determined by the treating Veterinarian (based on the health of the cat/dog).
• Are you willing to provide before and after pictures of your cat/dog as well as share their story on the Broken Tails web site, Facebook page, or special events?

The goal of the Broken Tails program is to help animals that need immediate veterinary care to survive. The typical grant is $100 to $250. However larger grants or other exceptions may be awarded/given based upon several factors, including: medical urgency, financial need, available funding, and eligibility.

• Broken Tails does NOT provide assistance for medical treatments that have already been rendered nor can we pay the veterinarians in advance. You must complete the Grant application the same day treatment occurs.
• Broken Tails does not provide funding for routine care, long-term treatment for illness such as cancer, heart worms, dental care, dermatology, vaccinations or cosmetic treatment. Our funds are limited and reserved for cats/dogs who would not survive without our assistance or their quality of life would be severely impacted.
• Approved non-profit Rescue Organizations must provide financial back up information annually to continue to be eligilble.

Basic Procedures to Apply for Assistance:

To apply, you need to complete the appropriate Grant Application as well as provide financial back up information.   This financial back up information may include:

• Fully completed estimate including the total estimated bill, all follow up care as well as owner contribution.
• Results of CareCredit or other credit applications.

               Results of or your future plans for personal fundraising through gofundme, facebook etc               

• 1040 tax form for all adults responsible for the care of the cat/dog.
• If you did NOT file a 1040 tax return last year or filing status has changed, then we would need another way to verify your need based on your income and expenses. You must provide either:
  • Last two monthly bank statements reflecting your income and living expenses, or
  • Two months of your rent or mortgage payments as well as your utility bills (e.g., electric, gas, water, internet, cable or satellite TV, telephone, insurance) …AND…
    Two months of your pay stubs or Social Security benefits, or proof of federal or state assistance, or unemployment benefits, or W-2 or 1099 from employer to reflect your income.

Please BLACK OUT all social security numbers or account numbers BEFORE leaving with the staff at your Broken Tails approved Veterinarian’s office.
The information provided will be used to make a determination of need. All information is confidential and will be viewed only by the Broken Tails Board members and your veterinary office. If a favorable decision is made, the funds will be paid directly to the veterinary practice.
Your approved Broken Tails Veterinarian must complete the Veterinarian Pet information form and we need a digital picture of your pet.