OSLF Fund for Orthopedic Cases

Canine orthopedic conditions and injuries are typically very expensive to treat medically and often the costs of treatment impose heavy financial burdens on caregivers. The intent of this Orthodogs' Silver Lining Foundation (OSLF) fund is to provide financial assistance to those families or individuals who find themselves in a position in which they cannot provide medical care for their companion dogs.

The goal of Orthodogs' Silver Lining is to assist with the treatment, support or surgery of any orthopedic condition or injury in which it has been determined that the desired course of action will significantly improve the dog's quality of life. It is our hope that by assisting with the costs of these expensive medical treatments, companion dogs will be able to receive the care they need in order to enjoy an acceptable quality of life, and that they will be able to remain with their guardians.

Eligible Expenses

Orthodogs' Silver Lining will assist with any orthopedic condition or injury for a companion dog, provided the dog has been assessed by a veterinarian and it has been determined that the dog's quality of life will be significantly improved with medical treatment, support or surgery. In addition to surgical treatment, OSLF will assist with support devices, prosthetics, mobility aids, supplements and alternative treatments when it has been determined by a veterinarian (either conventional, holistic or homeopathic) that such options will significantly improve the dog's quality of life.

There may be limits placed on the amount of assistance that will be made available for one or all of the treatment options that are considered reasonable for a particular companion dog. These limits will be determined during the application process, and are at the sole discretion of OSLF. Each case will be examined individually to assess the extent of the financial assistance that will be made available.

Ineligible Expenses

OSLF will not assist with routine veterinary visits or with the cost of diagnostic procedures. OSLF will not assist with the costs of treatment for any companion dog who has not been assessed by a veterinarian. Conditions or injuries that have been assessed by a veterinarian, and determined as being non-orthopedic in nature, will not be considered for financial assistance.

OSLF will not provide financial assistance for chemotherapy or radiation treatments for dogs who have been diagnosed with cancer. There are two other groups who may assist an applicant in raising funds for cancer treatments: Canine Cancer Awareness and The Magic Bullet Fund.

In keeping with OSLF's upcoming "Please Fence Me In" owner safety awareness program, we will not provide financial assistance for injuries suffered as the result of an accident when that accident occurred because a dog was improperly fenced, not securely leashed or was being handled in an unsafe manner. This includes, but is not limited to, dogs being hit by cars or dogs suffering injuries as a result of a fall from an unsafe height.

For any orthopedic injury or condition that requires surgical intervention and more than one surgical procedure is available, OSLF will only provide assistance up to the equivalent of the cost of the least expensive procedure in the individual applicant's geographic location. If an applicant's surgeon chooses a more expensive option, the applicant will be required to seek additional funding from other sources.

OSLF will not provide financial assistance in the form of reimbursement for medical bills, or for treatment that has already been administered and the veterinarian is awaiting payment. OSLF will only provide financial assistance for the conditions or injuries listed on the submitted and approved application.

Is Your Situation an Emergency?

The majority of applicants seeking financial assistance for their companion dogs will receive funds through a fundraising effort and outside donations. However, in the event of an orthopedic emergency in which the condition or injury is causing severe and immediate disability, emergency funds may be made available provided the dog has been assessed by a veterinarian and it has been determined that immediate medical treatment is necessary to the dog's well being. Please visit our Emergencies page for more information.

What You Need To Provide

OSLF hopes to help as many dogs as possible, but unfortunately not all who apply will qualify for assistance. When applying for assistance for a companion dog, the following documentation must accompany your application:

1. A recent and clear photograph of the dog
   
   
2. It must be shown that the dog is an established companion dog and has a permanent home.
   
   
3. Name, address and phone number of any veterinarian or specialist who is currently involved in the dog's care or who will be providing future medical care to the dog.
   
   
4. Written documentation of a veterinarian's assessment of the dog's medical condition and/or injury. It must be determined that an orthopedic condition or injury is the major health issue for the dog. This documentation must be on letterhead from the veterinarian's clinic.
   
   
5. The dog must be symptomatic. This must be verified and documented by a veterinarian and must include a detailed description of the clinical symptoms observed by the veterinarian.
   
   
6. A written estimate for the cost of medical treatment and/or surgery. The written estimate must be on your veterinarian's letterhead and should include the following:
   
   
• Confirmation of your dog's diagnosis and an outline of the required treatment;
  
• The urgency of your dog's condition;
  
• Confirmation from your veterinarian that they are willing to work with OSLF in accordance with our payment policy.
  
  
7. Applicant is responsible for obtaining a signed OSLF Veterinarian Waiver [PDF], and proof of liability insurance, from the treating veterinarian. This signed waiver may either be submitted with the assistance application, or may be submitted directly from the treating veterinarian's office, but must be received by OSLF within 48 hours of original application submission.
   
   
8. Applicant is responsible for obtaining a letter of reference from the dog's primary care veterinarian, on clinic letterhead, stating that the owner has a prior history of responsible pet care and that, in the vet's opinion, the owner has the ability to provide proper aftercare for the dog.
   
   
9. A summary of any and all attempts to obtain financial assistance prior to applying to OSLF. These attempts should include but are not limited to:
   
   
• Bank loans
  
• Credit cards
  
• Clinic payment plans
  
• Care Credit

In all cases, provide details pertaining to each attempt to obtain funding including reasons for denial. If no attempts have been made to obtain financial assistance please provide an explanation as to why alternative funding is not an option for your particular situation.

10. Proof of income. This may be either your most recent pay receipt or your most recent income tax return. If you are unemployed please provide proof of Unemployment Insurance benefits. If you are disabled please provide proof of Disability Income sources.
    
    
11. Your most recent bank statement for all current accounts along with a summary of your personal monthly expenses.
    
    
12. You must provide an e-mail address and have daily access to this account.

Ready To Apply?

Please refer to the General Information and Approval Process pages for additional information that may be important to your application for financial assistance.

OSLF should be considered the last resort source of funding. If you have other resources, or are eligible for other funding through a breed or other rescue organization, those resources must have been denied or exhausted before applying to OSLF.

In all situations, funding applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the severity of the illness/injury and the details of the case. The fact that OSLF may have funded a similar case in the past is not in itself a guarantee that funding will be granted.

If you want to speak to someone about applying for financial assistance for a dog in your care, the answers to most of your questions can be found on our website. We understand that there is a lot of information to read through, however, it is important that you take the time to do so. Please keep in mind that a request for telephone communication will not speed up your application process, and that submitting a complete application package is the fastest way to get an answer to an assistance request. OSLF representatives are readily available via email at info@oslf.org.