The New Brunswick SPCA says its Happy Tails program has now provided more than $1 million in veterinary care since launching in 2024.
The donor-funded initiative helps pet owners facing financial barriers access treatment for their animals. The NBSPCA said nearly 3,000 animals have received assistance through the program.
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Lesley Rogers, executive director of the New Brunswick SPCA, said the need for veterinary assistance remains significant.
“About 20 per cent of Canadian pet families can’t afford essential or basic veterinary care,” Rogers said.
She said the program was created to help families keep their pets rather than being forced to give them up because they cannot afford treatment.
“We really want to be able to intervene and support pet families early so that we don’t end up with unnecessary rehoming of animals when they have perfectly good homes,” Rogers said.
According to the NBSPCA, the program has provided emergency veterinary assistance to 1,753 animals and spay and neuter surgeries and preventive care for another 1,214 pets.
Rogers said 2026 is expected to be the program’s busiest year yet, with roughly $750,000 in assistance projected to be distributed this year alone.
The initiative is supported through donations and partnerships with veterinary clinics across the province. More than 70 clinics participate in the program.
Rogers said the assistance can make a critical difference for pet owners facing unexpected veterinary bills.
“But there is a path forward that we can help them get that care instead of having to surrender their pet or euthanize their pet just because of the lack of funding,” she said.
Expanding access to care
The NBSPCA has also been expanding access to preventive services through community wellness clinics.
In October, the organization partnered with PULSE Inc., Valley Veterinary Hospital and the Oromocto SPCA to hold a pet wellness clinic at the Carleton Community Centre in Saint John.
The clinic provided veterinary care, vaccinations and nail trims for 131 pets from low-income households. Pet food was also distributed.
Rogers said demand for the clinic was evident before it opened, with residents lining up to access services.
The Saint John event was part of a broader effort to bring veterinary services to underserved communities.
Similar clinics have also been held in the 12 Neighbours community in Fredericton, Tobique First Nation (Neqotkuk) and Kingsclear First Nation (Bilijk).
The Happy Tails program is fully funded through donations and was established to help remove financial barriers to veterinary care while keeping pets healthy and in their homes.
