We do it for them, because they’d do it for us.
Our Mission
The Underdog Fund exists to eliminate the gap between medical possibility and financial reality in veterinary care. We provide direct financial assistance for life-saving treatments while building a sustainable model for addressing systemic inequities in access to care.
Because the true measure of our success isn't just in the pets we save, but in the more just and compassionate system we help create.
Our Model
The Underdog Fund demonstrates that veterinary practices can maintain financial sustainability while addressing one of the most pressing social justice issues in animal medicine today. We operate on three key principles:
1. Immediate Intervention - Providing financial assistance at the critical moment when life-saving care is needed
2. Community Investment - Extending resources beyond our clinic through education and outreach
3. Systemic Change - Creating a replicable model for other veterinary practices to follow
Our Structure
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established through the Veterinary Care Foundation, 100% of donations to the Underdog Fund are tax-deductible and go directly toward providing care. Our fund is overseen by Tacoma Animal Hospital with dedicated staff who evaluate applications, coordinate care, and manage community programs.
What We Do
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The Underdog Fund allows the staff at Tacoma Animal Hospital to provide immediate financial support for urgent or critical life-saving veterinary care when families cannot afford treatment. Every time we help a family keep their pet through a medical crisis, we're not just saving an individual animal—we're helping rebuild trust between the public and veterinary medicine. We're showing that another way is possible. Each case is carefully reviewed to maximize our impact and owners and patients must meet all eligibility requirement to be considered for assistance.
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Through collaborative relationships with local animal shelters and housing organizations, we extend veterinary care to animals awaiting adoption and those living in transitional housing. These partnerships allow us to collect valuable data on how improved access to care benefits not only animals but the entire community. By addressing medical needs early, we help more pets find and keep loving homes and preserve the connections that make our community stronger and more compassionate
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We meet pet owners where they are—including low-income housing communities and areas with limited veterinary access. Our quarterly vaccine clinics bring preventative care directly to underserved neighborhoods, helping prevent disease and reduce future medical costs. We conduct regular outreach to homeless pet owners, providing essential supplies and basic care. Through participation in local events and workshops, we educate the community about responsible pet ownership, early disease detection, and available resources for families in need.
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At the heart of our work is a commitment to transforming how veterinary care is delivered and who gets access. We're building a model that proves veterinary practices can remain financially sustainable while ensuring more equitable access to care. By documenting our outcomes and sharing our approach, we aim to inspire change by demonstrating how local action can drive systemic transformation
The Crisis in Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary medicine is translational work conducted within an interdisciplinary field that has a large involvement in areas ranging from global health to social, political, and economic practices. With respect to how these things intersect, our hospital acknowledges there’s a perpetually disproportionate accessibility to veterinary medicine that’s deserving of substantial reformative efforts.
Veterinary medicine stands at a critical crossroads. While medical advances allow us to save more animals than ever before, these life-saving treatments remain out of reach for many families simply due to cost.
The current system leaves both families and veterinary professionals in impossible positions—caught between what's medically possible and what's financially feasible.
Our Vision For Change
At Tacoma Animal Hospital, we recognize our responsibility to address these inequities begins with our own practice. The Underdog Fund represents our commitment to ensuring that every animal deserves attention and care, regardless of their owner's financial circumstances.
The Underdog Fund represents a fundamentally different approach to veterinary care access. By starting at the local level and demonstrating that practices can remain sustainable while ensuring more equitable access to treatment, we're creating a model that can transform veterinary medicine from the inside out.
We believe that access to veterinary care is not just a pet welfare issue but a fundamental social justice concern that affects human wellbeing. Inspired by the bonds that were broken ahead of their time, our staff is motivated to create change within the veterinary field, which seeks to do nothing less than bring justice to the animals we hold a shared love for.
How To Help
Got Another Idea? Contact Us!
We believe innovation happens through collaboration. If you have a creative way to support our mission that isn't covered here, we'd love to hear it. Perhaps you have professional skills to offer, connections to community resources, or insights into reaching underserved populations. Your unique perspective might lead to partnerships we haven't yet imagined. Please reach out with your ideas for how we might work together to expand access to veterinary care and create lasting change in our community.
Make A Donation
As a non-profit foundation, all of our funding relies on donations from our clients and the general public. Every cent donated goes directly to our fund and 100% of it is used to give the underdog (or cat) a second chance.
Volunteer
The Underdog Fund relies on community volunteers to extend our impact beyond our clinic walls. We’re looking for volunteers interested in helping us build a network of reliable foster homes that can provide temporary care for pets in crisis situations. Please contact us if you or anyone you know is interested in fostering through us.
Spread The Word
The language we use shapes how we understand veterinary care access and who deserves it. By sharing our mission with your community, you help challenge the status quo and build momentum for systemic change. Mention The Underdog Fund on social media, discuss veterinary care inequity with friends, or invite others to get involved. Every conversation creates ripples that can transform how we think about and deliver veterinary care. Your voice, bark, and meow matters.
Our Partners
Contact Us
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