The Fairbanks Senior Center launched the Pets Need Vets program in 2022 with generous support from Meals on Wheels America and PetSmart Charities. That inaugural year laid the foundation for a program built on learning, growth, and long-term sustainability, ensuring that seniors in our community would never have to choose between their own needs and the well-being of their beloved pets.
Since then, funding from Meals on Wheels America, private donors, and community fundraising has made it possible for older adults aged 60 and above to access essential veterinary care. From FY23 through FY25, the Pets Need Vets program supported 85 seniors, providing care for 98 pets, covering 125 veterinary visits, and completing 265 procedures. These services included wellness exams, vaccines and rabies shots, medications, emergency food, grooming, dental care, blood work, limited emergency visits, and transportation assistance.
In FY26, thanks to continued support from Meals on Wheels America, the Latter-day Saint “Light the World” Giving Machine, and the generosity of individual donors, the program has expanded its reach even further. So far this year, Pets Need Vets has assisted 70 seniors, cared for 143 pets, and supported 98 veterinary visits—a record level of impact for our community.
Due to the limited funding sources, the program provides up to $250 per pet, per veterinary visit, serving seniors with annual incomes of $40,000 or below. Our primary focus is preventative care, helping pets stay healthy so their owners can continue aging safely and independently at home. For many older adults, pets are more than companions—they are sources of comfort, joy, routine, and emotional stability. By easing the financial burden of veterinary care, the Pets Need Vets program helps preserve these vital bonds and brings peace of mind to seniors living on fixed incomes, while also providing a space they call home where they live independently with their beloved pet.
Together, we are keeping families together—one senior, one pet, one act of kindness at a time.
