Ready for Rescue Grants

Ready for Rescue Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Vca Charities
Amount: Up to US $10,000
Last Updated: February 25, 2026

Summary

VCA Charities offers the Ready for Rescue Grants to support animal welfare organizations in preparing pets for adoption. With a maximum award of $10,000, this program focuses on enhancing the mental and physical well-being of companion animals through various activities, including enrichment and training. Eligible organizations must be registered nonprofits dedicated to animal welfare, adopting out at least 500 pets annually. Applications are accepted twice a year, with deadlines approaching soon.

Overview

VCA Charities, the charitable arm of VCA Animal Hospital, supports the joy of pet ownership by helping pets find and remain in loving homes. Through grants and partnerships with shelters and animal welfare organizations, we help remove barriers to pet ownership and help keep pets in loving homes by funding emergency and specialty veterinary care; supporting adoption readiness and surrender prevention programs; enabling the care and feeding of pets belonging to underserved families; and, responding to our local communities in crisis. Ready for Rescue Grant Pet ownership brings joy to the entire family, which is why we help support adoptable pets in finding homes through Ready for Rescue Grants. Grants provide animal welfare organizations with financial support needed to ready pets for adoption, expand enrichment efforts, help remove potential barriers to pet ownership and celebrate the role that pets play in our lives. Our maximum award is $10,000 and applications are currently accepted twice annually. Application closes at the end of this month and approved grants will be announced at the end of next month.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Organization must be a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit or tax-exempt government agency focused on animal welfare.Up to $10,000 may be requested for any activities that support readying companion pets for adoption with a preferred focus on activities supporting the mental and physical well-being of animals including but not limited to enrichment, increased time of out kennel and reducing length of time in the shelter.Your shelter or rescue needs to adopt out at least 500 pets per year.Eligible expenses include:Veterinary services, supplies, medications or treatment including preventive, wellness, urgent care and spay/neuter, behavior training, shelter pet food or supplies, transport program costs, shelter dog field trips/outings, access to play yards/groups, activities geared towards increased time out of kennel, new and improved in-kennel enrichment initiatives, activities designed to reduce length of stay in the shelter, among other adoption readiness programs.

Ineligibility

This grant is unable to support veterinary costs at private practice, care for feral animals, animal sanctuaries, trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs, working animals, livestock, equine, therapy animals, or wildlife. No funds may be used for overhead costs, equipment, or marketing.