Who is eligible for a grant?

Individuals who are trying to retrieve their pet from Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas County animal shelters. Individuals may all apply for a grant for one pet per calendar year. Grants may cover necessary shelter fees to reclaim your pet.

Grants may only be used for retrieving your pet who is currently being boarded at the shelter. Assistance is only provided to family owned pets. We are unable to assist with community cats, strays, or animals found by good samaritans.

How do I apply for a grant?

Please visit our Apply for a Grant page and fill out the application in full online. Each application must also include an estimate from the animal shelter outlining necessary fees. See a sample of a shelter fee estimate here.

If you do not receive a confirmation email, your application has not been submitted and our team has not received your request for assistance. Remember to check your spam folder as response emails may on occasion end up there.

Why do you require a shelter fee estimate?

The Good Bones Alliance requires a shelter fee estimate to establish the cost of reimbursement for each grantee and ensure any approved funds are used for the redemption of the pet.

We ask for a photo so we can share it with current donors to thank them for their support and with future donors to encourage them to make additional donations. Please see our Animals Helped section to see how your photo and story will be shared.

What’s the timeline for receiving a grant?

We understand retrieving your pet from the shelter is time sensitive. Completed grant applications are reviewed once daily by our team of dedicated volunteers. After the review, notifications are sent to the applicants to let them know whether their grant request has been approved. Payments for each grant are sent directly to the animal shelter.

Completed grants include the application and current shelter estimate. Incomplete grants will be notified with further instructions.

Animals that retrieved within a timely manner are eligible for grant cancellation. Please notify The Good Bones Alliance at foundation@bowwowbuddies.com immediately if you’ve received a grant and there are delays in retrieving your pet.

What is the maximum amount I can receive for a grant?

Grants up to $1,500 may be awarded. This does not mean each grant is $1,500 – The Good Bones Alliance will determine the amount for each approved grant. Our average grant award is $1,100.

How are grant funds distributed?

Checks from The Good Bones Alliance are sent to the animal sehlter.

Checks that are not cashed within 30 days of the approval date are eligible for cancellation. Please notify the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation at foundation@bowwowbuddies.com immediately if you’ve received a grant and there are delays in the medical treatment of your dog.

The Good Bones Alliance will not reimburse for "paid invoices” and will not consider reimbursement situations of any kind.

Why won’t you send funds directly to me?

We don’t send funds to the families or individuals requesting the grant. Instead, the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation only sends checks to the presiding veterinarians. This ensures that funds are used for the medical treatment of grant recipients. This also helps assure donors that their generous contributions help dogs in need.

What if I don’t have a veterinarian?

To be eligible for a grant, you must have a current relationship with a licensed veterinarian who can provide a detailed estimate of costs for any medical treatment your dog needs. This is to ensure that funds donated are used for medical treatments and to determine what funds can be allocated to the grantee in question.

What if I no longer need the grant?

If you no longer need the grant to help your dog, please let us know by emailing foundation@bowwowbuddies.com. This helps us re-distribute the funds to a dog in need.

Can I receive a grant for previous veterinary care?

No, only treatment that has not been completed yet is eligible for a grant. This helps prioritize care for dogs who are still awaiting treatment.

Do you take volunteers?

Currently, the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation does not accept volunteers. If you’d like to support the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation, please contact us to see how you can help.

I want to help! How can I donate to the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation?

Thanks for supporting the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation! You can donate directly by using our Make a Donation button or by visiting a local Camp Bow Wow. You can also host your own fundraiser on behalf of the Foundation through Facebook, GoFundMe, or at a local event. For information on hosting your own event, please contact foundation@bowwowbuddies.com. We’d be happy to provide marketing materials to help support your event.

Is my donation tax deductible?

The Bow Wow Buddies Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Therefore, donations are eligible for tax deduction. The Bow Wow Buddies Foundation’s EIN is 37-1544742.