Submitting a Funding Application

SOS-SRF will accept applications for assistance for rescued Siberian Huskies (or Siberian Husky mixes, resources permitting). SOS-SRF exists to provide monetary assistance for extraordinary medical expenses for Siberian Huskies in rescue; as stated below, we do not ordinarily provide funds for normal expenses such as spaying/neutering, routine vaccinations or heartworm tests. Your expenses must be properly documented before we will consider your application.

All materials for applications must be submitted no later than 45 days after incurring the last expense and the supplemental materials listed below must be received within 10 days of the original submission.* If your veterinarian has given you a firm price, in writing, for the total cost of the procedure, you may apply before the actual procedure. However, a final invoice with itemized costs will be required before funds will be disbursed even if pre-approved prior to the procedure or treatment. (Such invoices may be FAXed to the Rescue Grants Coordinator as given on the application form.) Each application will be assessed individually. Please answer all questions as completely and honestly as possible. The Board reserves the right to deny funding as it deems appropriate. When you have read the guidelines below, you will find a link to the application form.

You will receive an acknowledgement of your application within 3 days of receipt, perhaps with a request for further information. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, that means the official rescue grants coordinator is not available at the moment. If you are in a hurry, contact either Bob Baker or Ursula Rempel (see our Contact Us page for addresses).

The following materials are required before your application will be brought before the Board; therefore, it will expedite your application if you include these with the application.

• A complete list of final expenses with final receipts and explanations of charges or, if the procedure has not yet been done, a firm written quote on your veterinarian's letterhead for charges that will be incurred if funding is approved.
  
  
• A signed letter from your veterinarian, preferably on letterhead, with his or her opinion on the dog's prognosis. (Please note that by "prognosis", we mean the prospects the dog has for a reasonably good future as a result of the treatment/procedure.)
  
  
• A picture of the dog. This may be submitted by email as a jpeg file (preferred) or by mail as a printed photograph. Photocopies of printed photographs that cannot be scanned for transmission to the Board by email will only delay your application until a reproducible photograph can be obtained. However, a link to a picture of the dog on a web site is acceptable if the dog is identified on the web site as the one for which the application is being made.

We may request further information after receipt of your application. If the materials above cannot be obtained, please say why you cannot provide them. In most cases, a decision will be made within 10 days of receiving all the required information. If you must have a decision sooner, please call our attention to that fact on your application form.

^*If the application is emailed or FAXed, the date of transmission will be considered the submission date. If the application is submitted by mail, the date of the postmark showing the date of mailing will be considered the date of submission.

Guidelines for Eligibility

1. The dog is a Siberian Husky or Siberian Husky mix requiring medical treatment beyond normal rescue expense and is in a rescue situation. Since funds are not unlimited, purebred Siberian Huskies will receive preference when a choice must be made.

2. A licensed veterinarian has assessed all injuries and ailments and has predicted that the dog has a solid chance for a good quality of life with treatment; this treating veterinarian will be available to speak to members of SOS-SRF, if necessary, to discuss this dog's prognosis, and will provide information on letterhead, at the request of SOS-SRF.

3. The dog will be adoptable at the end of the treatment.

4. The dog is not terminally ill. While there is no age limit, each case will be judged as to the quality of life for the dog.

5. If not already done, the dog will be spayed or neutered, if medically possible, at the time of treatment. The ONLY exception to this will be if the treating veterinarian explains in writing why spaying or neutering cannot be done at this time. In this instance, the rescue group requesting the money will sign a statement for SOS-SRF saying that the dog will be spayed or neutered as soon as medically possible.

6. SOS-SRF cannot provide funding for personal pets. However, at the discretion of the Board, and with proper documentation, SOS-SRF may be able to help pay a portion of emergency expenses for dogs who were recently adopted from a rescue organization and appeared healthy at the time, or who were rescued by an individual who has recently acquired a dog that was injured or ill at the time of rescue and would like to provide a permanent home for the dog. Applications can be made for dogs adopted from a public shelter provided the application comes within 15 days of the date of the adoption. In addition to the usual required documentation, a copy of the adoption contract showing the date of adoption must be provided with the application.

7. SOS-SRF reserves the right to request a second opinion on veterinary prognosis. While we support a rescue group's right to work with their veterinarian of choice, there might be instances where another veterinarian might be able to do the same work at a rescue discount. We encourage applicants to inquire about discounts for rescue and to consider finding a competent veterinarian who will provide such a discount.

8. SOS-SRF is a funding group set up to help rescue in emergency or extraordinary situations, and will not ordinarily pay for normal rescue expenses, such as spaying or neutering, vaccinations, grooming, long-term boarding or transportation costs.

9. As funds are not unlimited and must be budgeted, SOS-SRF reserves the right to provide only partial assistance with any request for funding. For example, we have placed a ceiling of $250 on reimbursement of the cost of heartworm treatment.

10. SOS-SRF was not founded to support any rescue group with frequent medical expenses. We expect rescuers to exercise discretion in deciding what is possible for the individual or group to accomplish.

By clicking on the link below, you acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to the guidelines as stated above.