Our Process

THOSE EXPERIENCING EXTREME FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AS A RESULT OF LOSS OF WORK FROM COVID-19 WE HAVE CHESTNUT’S FUND.

Pet Owners

We would like to help all pets and all pet families with financial need, but there are a number of basic eligibility criteria that must be met before we can evaluate an application for a pet health care grant. Eligible and approved pet owners will receive a one-time pet health care grant of up to one-half of veterinary care costs up to a maximum grant of $1500. The level of assistance provided depends upon a number of factors including the type of illness or injury, the course of action needed and the funds available at the time of the request. At no time do we cover the cost of the entire procedure. Grant funds are never distributed to the pet owner. Rather, the funds are distributed to the veterinarian providing care.

Categories of Care

Categories Not Eligible for Pet Care Grants

Preventive and Routine care: Vaccination, spay or neuter, routine dental cleaning or dental exams/extractions/treatment required arising from dental neglect.
Ongoing care of previously diagnosed chronic illness unless diagnosed through treatment received with Max’s funds.
Reproductive surgeries such as C-sections that are known issues resulting from failure to spay some breeds.

Eligibility

Information about you and your pet

You and your pet must live in Monterey County, California
Your pet must be under the current care of a veterinarian in Monterey County, California
You and your family must be able to pay for half of the expenses necessary for your pet’s care. Your portion may come from you, friends, other animal organizations, credit. At no time does the Foundation cover all costs for evaluation and care.
You must be able to prove financial need and inability to qualify for commercial support such as but not limited to CareCredit
You cannot delay the appropriate and necessary care of your pet while waiting for processing of your application for a pet health care grant. You must be able to pay for care to stabilize your pet while the grant application is processed.
You must grant permission to the Foundation to use pictures of your pet and a summary of your pet’s care and support for the purposes of promotion and fundraising.

Information from your veterinarian

Your veterinarian must participate with the Foundation and assist in the application process
Your veterinarian must provide a professional opinion that a positive outcome is likely for your pet if a pet health care grant is provided.
Your veterinarian must grant permission to the Foundation to use pictures of your pet and a summary of your pet’s care and support for the purposes of promotion and fundraising.

Exclusions

Regardless of other eligibility criteria, the Foundation will not provide assistance if any of the following circumstances apply:

The condition being treated could have been prevented through routine vaccination, routine dental care, or more timely veterinary evaluation
Injury or illness is a result of neglect or abuse
You or a direct family member has received a grant from the Foundation within the previous two years.
Evaluation and treatment has already been completed

Funding Process

Go to veterinarian for existing issue for appointment with your veterinarian. Veterinarian will determine what additional diagnostic chests or treatments are needed.
Determine what financial resources you have available to meet your pet’s care needs
Apply for CareCredit or ScratchPay and use available funds if approved
Only if not approved, or not enough to cover the remaining balance complete online Application and gather & upload requested materials (You must have an authorization code from your treating veterinarian in order to apply)
Treating Veterinarian completes Sponsor portion of Application
Once your complete application, supporting documents, and your veterinarian’s initial review and plan are received, they will be sent to the MHPF Committee for review.
MHPF aims for evaluation and review within 48 hours of receipt of a complete application. In emergency cases we will make an effort to expedite review.
All applications will be reviewed without bias or consideration of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, age or marital status.
MHPF will then notify treating veterinarian of approval or denial.

Application

Online Application (You must have an authorization code from your treating veterinarian in order to apply)
Treating Veterinarian Sponsor portion of Application

Veterinary Partners

Veterinarians

Any Monterey County veterinary practice can be a Max’s Helping Paws Foundation partner.

Max’s Helping Paws wants to say “YES” as often as we can. As such, we will provide any information our partner veterinarians need ahead of time in order to build efficiency into a funding process where timing is often critical. We will also ask that you essentially “vouch” for this client as a responsible pet owner, and confirm an expected positive outcome. After review by our medical committee, we will either approve the request, or do our best to offer other resources to try to assist your clients with their needs. Please note, except for extraordinary circumstances our policy is to share expenses 50:50 with the pet owner with a maximum grant of $1500. Grant funds are never distributed to the pet owner. Rather, the funds will be paid to the veterinary practice providing care.

Categories of Coverage

Benefits of Partnership

Your clients with financial need will be able to afford a higher level of care for loved pet patients.

Your practice will be listed as a partner on the website main page
Your practice will be promoted in any appropriate marketing communications vehicles, paid or unpaid.
You’ll be included in appropriate PR efforts
Your practice will be included in any MHPF events
You will be able to offer avenues of assistance for your clients experiencing financial hardships
Access to partner-only opportunities as they arise
Other opportunities include advisory committee participation, speaking

What We Ask of Our Partners

Agree to help promote Max’s Helping Paws Foundation to potential beneficiaries and donors through a promotional card or small sign in your waiting room. Additionally, we welcome participation in other efforts to promote and fundraise for the foundation as you deem appropriate
Agree to assist your clients and patients in submitting their Pet Healthcare Grant Applications and completing Veterinary Application Review
If your practice is submitting an application on behalf of a patient, we ask that you provide a comprehensive estimate of care costs, submit appropriate invoices to the Foundation for payment, and keep the Foundation informed on patient and care status.
We ask that you consider offering a small tax-deductible donation a minimum of 10% of grant funds received by your practice or a practice discount. This will enable us to continue assisting your clients.

Veterinary Partner Enrollment & Application Sponsorship

If you’re interested in becoming a preferred veterinary partner, please complete the online enrollment form.
To sponsor a client who has applied for support, please complete this online veterinary sponsor form