Help with vet bills

Are you struggling to pay your vet bill? Even if you’re not eligible for our subsidised vet care at a Blue Cross animal hospital, we still might be able to help. We work with private vet practices across the country to help cut the cost of treatment for pet owners who can’t afford it.

Over 1,600 vets are signed up to our Veterinary Care Fund scheme. Together we cover over 93% of the UK. Ask your vet if they’re signed up.

Are you a vet?

It’s simple to sign up to our Veterinary Care Fund scheme.

Sign up

Eligible treatments

Our fund is used for emergency care or one-off vet treatments which are expected to make a positive impact on a pet’s life. In 2024, our Veterinary Care Fund helped over 3,000 people and their pets.

Covered by our fund

Your vet can apply to our fund if they think your pet’s treatment meets any one of these conditions:

• A full recovery is likely
• Your pet is likely to have a good quality of life after treatment
• Surgery should cure the health problem
• Euthanasia or ‘putting to sleep’ is the kindest option, whether as the sole treatment or the conclusion of a course of treatment (excludes cremation costs)

Not covered by our fund

Our fund can’t be used where treatment has already taken place or for routine vet care or specialist services, including (but not limited to):

• Preventive treatments – neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, flea and worm treatments
• Specialist services – chemotherapy, hydrotherapy, spinal surgery,
  acupuncture, physiotherapy or any specialist consultations

How to access our fund

1. Ask your vet to assess your circumstances and decide whether to apply to our fund.
2. Expect Blue Cross to respond to your vet’s funding application within two working days.
3. Treatment must be carried out either on the day of application or within one week of the application date. We are unable to provide funding where treatment has already been carried out.
4. Any Blue Cross funding contribution will be made directly to your vet once we receive treatment evidence, which must be within two weeks of the application date.

Your privacy

Your vet will need to share your information with Blue Cross when applying for funding on your behalf. We’ll handle all your information with strict confidentiality. See our privacy policy.

Your feedback

If your pet benefits from our Veterinary Care Fund, we may contact you to gather your thoughts on how to improve it. We’ll use the contact preferences you supplied to your vet.

Update your contact preferences at any time – just email [email protected].