New bench in Lewiston for pet owners

Thanks to the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society’s Pet Emergency Fund, a new “Sit Awhile” bench was recently installed at the Lewiston Dog Park. Lowes Home Improvement workers from the Niagara Falls Boulevard location helped make the work area.

The Pet Emergency Fund was established in 1999 to help people with financial needs afford pet care in emergency situations. To date, it has helped veterinarians in Erie and Niagara counties provide care for over 6,450 pets.

Funded entirely by charitable contributions, PEF has distributed over $692,000 to save the lives of viable pets and return them to their grateful families.

PEF was organized because many local veterinarians were distressed that cash-strapped clients – who desperately wanted to save their pets – had to make the unthinkable decision to put their pets down because euthanasia costs are often far less than emergency treatment costs. Their vision was to help close the gap between the cost of euthanasia and the cost of emergency medical intervention in order to send pets home to their families.

Today, as a result of that vision, PEF raises funds to help financially challenged families bridge the financial gap in a shared effort with veterinary hospital members in Erie and Niagara counties.

Owners-in-need pay what they can afford at the time of the emergency. The veterinary hospital members can help them apply for credit with an independent financial institution that specializes in “no interest over time” lines of credit. PEF makes up the difference to bridge the remaining gap.