Animal hospital for low-income Hamilton residents gets $100,000 grant
Published February 9, 2023 at 2:29 pm
East Village Animal Hospital, a low-income veterinary clinic with an office in Hamilton, announced on Wednesday that it received a $100,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada.
The funding is part of the PetSmart charity’s Accelerator program, which supports the expansion of low-cost veterinary care by funding growth and operations for up to four years for nonprofit clinics looking to expand their services.
East Village Animal Hospital’s (EVAH) Hamilton manager, Patricia Cosentino, says the grant will go a long way in helping the clinic fund its Lifetime Wellness program — designed to identify health concerns and implement prevention at the earliest stage possible.
Pet owners pay the basic costs while the partnership program subsidizes the rest.
“I love (PetSmart’s) program for our clients! It is truly amazing,” Cosentino wrote in an email. “We have more time with people and their pets in these appointments. Just because we have lower-income clients doesn’t mean they all don’t want to do whatever they can to make life good for their pet.”
The program can be accessed by contacting EVAH at [email protected] or 905-318-4868.
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According to PetSmart Charities Canada, nearly one in five pet parents cannot provide preventative care for their pets due to accessibility and affordability challenges.
Kate Atema is the charity’s director of community grants and initiatives. She says the Canadian veterinary system is in crisis.
“Rising costs are putting standard veterinary care out of reach for too many pet-owning families across Canada,” she said. “We need innovative solutions that make veterinary care affordable for the families in every community who want the best for their four-legged companions but struggle to meet the cost of vet care.”
“We’re inspired by the incredible work EVAH is doing to create solutions that will build strong families and a healthy community.”
EVAH’s Hamilton office is located on Upper James near Stone Church. It provides subsidized vaccinations, neutering, spaying, and microchipping for cats and dogs.
Acceptance to the clinic is contingent on household income. Single-income earners cannot make more than $40,131, two-income households must not earn more than $49,956, and three-income homes cannot earn above $61,413 based on the applicants’ notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency.
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