Frequently asked questions

The Farley Foundation subsidizes the cost of non-elective veterinary care such as surgery (including some dental surgery), hospitalization and diagnostics. The foundation doesn’t cover routine exams, vaccinations, food (including prescription diets), routine spays/neuters and general prophylactic dental care.

If you belong to one of the groups we help and meet the eligibility criteria, you must speak to your veterinarian about the possibility of applying for Farley Foundation funding. Applications for funding can only be submitted by veterinarians.

To be eligible for Farley funding, a veterinarian/clinic must be an OVMA member. About 80 per cent of veterinary clinics in Ontario are OVMA members. Please note, the Farley Foundation can’t recommend a veterinarian.

The Farley Foundation is a charity and relies on the generosity of donors to help pet owners and their pets, and it helps as many pet owners as it can. The foundation limits the amount of funding veterinary hospitals receive each year. It’s possible that your veterinarian has exhausted their funding for the year.

To be eligible for Farley funding, you must have an existing relationship with a veterinarian. If you don’t have a veterinarian, you may be eligible for our Pets to Vets funding, which helps low-income pet owners establish a relationship with a veterinarian by subsidizing the cost of an initial exam and needed core vaccinations. To learn if you qualify, speak to a local veterinarian (visit www.cvo.org to find a clinic in your area).

Pet owners may qualify based on their income, but funding availability goes beyond falling into one of the groups we help. For example, your veterinarian must be an OVMA member, they must have funding still available, the treatment must be eligible, etc. The decision to apply for funding on behalf of eligible pet owners resides with each veterinary practice.

The Farley Foundation can’t discuss funding applications with pet owners. For information about your application, speak to your veterinarian.

The Farley Foundation helps low-income pet owners residing in Ontario only.

One of the Farley Foundation’s funding eligibility criteria is that the pet owner must have an existing veterinary-client-patient-relationship (VCPR) with a veterinary practice. Unfortunately, many low-income pet owners in Ontario lack the financial resources to establish that relationship. So, the foundation established the Pets to Vets program to enable low-income pet owners establish a relationship with a veterinarian by covering the cost of their pet’s first veterinary exam, along with any needed core vaccinations. To qualify for the Pets to Vets program, pet owners must otherwise be eligible for funding from the Farley Foundation, be without a veterinarian and be a first-time recipient of funding assistance from the foundation. Pet owners meeting these criteria can apply through a local veterinarian.