Veteran Companion Animal Support Services
We provide various support services for veterans and their animals. Scroll down for details of the following support services:
- Pet Supply Pantry Support
- Companion Animal Medical Support
- Low Cost Spay / Neuter & Wellness Services
- VIP Petcare Community Clinics
- Veteran Companion Behavioral Training Program
Pet Supply Pantry Support
Hinsdale Humane Society provides pet pantry supplies to those in need once a month. Our Companion Animal Support Program provides assistance when a veteran falls on hard times, but is not meant to become a sustainable program for your pet’s needs. Veterans must complete a new request form each month.
Our Exact Pet Food Pantry Support ships items in need directly to the veteran. When a request is made for an Exact order, the food will be shipped from Chewy/Amazon and delivered right to the veteran’s door. This is not an autoship, but rather is set up to ship based on the request form submitted. By allowing a veteran to keep their companion on the same type of food, it allows less room for sickness and health issues that may arise from frequent change.
To start your pet food pantry request, please fill out the following form:
Veteran Pet Pantry Support Request Form
Once you fill out the form, our team will reach out to you within two business days to discuss your request, confirm shipping information, and provide you with the approximate arrival time for your request.
- Monthly Dog Food Food Support
- Once per month per person
- Will supply one case of wet dog food or one bag of dry dog food per month
- Monthly Cat Food Support
- Once per month per person
- Will supply up to one case of wet cat food or one bag of dry cat food per month
- Monthly Cat Litter Support
- Once per month per person
- Will supply up to one bag/box of cat litter per month
For a list of additional pet food pantries, please visit our Community Resources.
Veteran Companion Animal Medical Support
Our Companion Animal Medical Support (AMS) Fund provides financial support to help reduce the costs of pet guardianship to prevent veterans from returning their adopted pets to the shelter due to financial hardship. The BJ Chimenti Angel Fund for Veterans and Pets can help pay for the cost of medical care needed due to unplanned or unexpected illness, injury, or other medical causes that are needed to help keep the animal in the home. Our AMS Fund will allow up to $500 per veteran yearly to help support pets in need. Payment for the services will only be made directly to the veterinary office and will not be reimbursed to the individual.
Animal Medical Support Program Allowance
- For extraneous medical bills (i.e. unplanned, unexpected medical support, surgery, medication)
- $500 per veteran allowance yearly
- Documentation required from the veteran and/or veterinarian (veteran to submit invoice for review)
- Payment will be made directly to the veterinarian office; veteran will not be reimbursed for expenses
- Veterans can bring their animal(s) to one of our partner clinics, but it is not requirement for the program:
Animal Medical Support Request
Low-Cost Spay/Neuter & Wellness Services
Hinsdale Humane Society offers special pricing on spay/neuter services to our veterans along with low cost vaccinations and microchipping to help keep pets in their homes and safe if they escape. Our low-cost spay/neuter and wellness services are offered to the veteran population at a lower cost than a typical veterinarian appointment.
Services must be scheduled in advance by contacting our Veteran Program Manager at andrea.wendlandt@hinsdalehumanesociety.org and making an appointment. Vaccination appointments are available only on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 1–4 pm. Walk-in appointments will not be accepted. Veteran identification is required to obtain special pricing.
Veteran Companion General Wellness
Free Vaccination and Microchip Clinics
Hinsdale Humane Society will hold free vaccination/microchip clinics around the area. Microchipping is also offered for no cost because it helps keep animals with their owners should they unexpectedly become loose.
- To sign up, please reach out to Veteran Program Manager Andrea at andrea.wendlandt@hinsdalehumanesociety.org
- You must show up and check in at 10 am sharp the day of the clinic
- VA/Military ID required at time of check-in
- You do not need to be a Cook/DuPage county resident to participate in county-specific clinics
If you are unable to attend one of the free vaccination clinics, you may sign up for a different clinic date, schedule an appointment for our Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Wellness Services Program (see above), or attend one of our VIP Petcare Community Clinics (see below).
VIP Petcare Community Clinics
VIP Petcare provides access to convenient, affordable preventative veterinary care that fits your lifestyle and your pets needs. Hinsdale Humane Society hosts VIP Petcare at the shelter on a regular basis. Click here for information on services provided. Walk-ins are welcome at this clinic and no appointments are necessary. You only need to be in line prior to the end of the clinic. To see a list of dates scheduled at our shelter and pricing, click here.
Veteran Companion Behavior Training Program
Hinsdale Humane Society believes in keeping people with their pets. Our Veteran Companion Behavioral Training Program provides veterans the proper training techniques to work through those difficult training times so that the veteran and companion animal can stay together. Our certified trainer will work with the veteran and their pet onsite to discuss positive reinforcement training to correct behavioral issues. For more information, please email training@hinsdalehumanesociety.org.
Veteran Companion Behavioral Training Program Allowance:
- Supports up to eight Veterans a year
- Allows up to three 60-minute sessions per veteran (length of sessions will be determined by the trainer at the time of the initial meeting)
Please contact our Veteran Program Manager at andrea.wendlandt@hinsdalehumanesociety.org.