Bills for the Paws · Started in Macomb, MichiganSister project to Bills for the Brave — same idea, for best friends
A vet bill, paid in full. A best friend, home where they belong.
Bills for the Paws helps people pay vet bills. An owner whose dog or cat needs emergency care, surgery, dental work, medication, or treatment they cannot afford can ask for help here, and a person with the means can pay that bill straight to the vet clinic — down to zero. No pet should lose their home, and no owner should have to choose between a bill and their best friend.
🐾Just getting started. No vet bills have been paid yet, and there is no installable app yet — this website is the first version, and it works in a phone’s browser. Jerry, the U.S. Marine veteran who founded Bills for the Brave in Macomb, Michigan, started this one for a simple reason: he has three dogs, he has had dogs his whole life, and they are his therapy every single day.
Illustration. Three dogs at the kitchen table — the same table where every vet bill lands, and where this idea started.
How it works
Simple on purpose — the exact same way Bills for the Brave works, for pets. An owner names one real vet bill. A person with the means chooses it. The payment goes to the vet clinic — not to a stranger’s pocket.
1
An owner shares one vet bill
What the pet needs, what it costs, and what happens if they don’t get it. Any vet bill, any amount — emergency care, surgery, dental, medication, diagnostics, or treatment. Plus pet food help when money is tight that month. Only what the owner chooses to share, and only with their permission.
2
A patron picks it up
A millionaire, a billionaire, or anyone who can help chooses a bill — all of it, or part of it — and says so plainly.
3
The clinic gets paid
Payment goes directly from the donor to the vet clinic — not through Bills for the Paws. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money. The receipt is the proof. The balance is zero. The donor also pays a separate 5% processing fee to Bills for the Paws, on top of the bill amount — see “Where the money goes” below. If they want, they can add a small optional tip on top of that, too — always their choice, always separate. Donor payments for a real, verified bill are not live yet — they start only once verification is ready.
Plain promises — and plain limits
Read this before you ask for help or offer to pay a bill. We would rather say this plainly now than let anyone — or any pet — down later.
Cost to submit a request: $5. Submitting a vet bill help request costs a flat $5.00 processing fee. We will fight hard to find your pet a donor. Paying the $5 does NOT guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid, and the fee is non-refundable. This $5 fee is separate from the donor’s 5% processing fee below. The $5 payment button will appear in the “Request help with a vet bill” section below once payment setup is ready — no money is collected through the form on this page.
No guarantee. Asking for help does not guarantee a bill will be paid. We cannot promise a donor will step forward, and we cannot promise a date when one will.
Only 3 bills at a time. We take only 3 bills at a time. When those 3 are paid or closed, we take the next 3. If we are full, the request form below will say we are full right now — please check back.
Any vet bill, any amount. You can submit any vet bill — emergency care, surgery, dental, medication, diagnostics, or ongoing treatment, at any amount. There is no dollar limit on the bills we take. Pet food help counts too.
A clear answer, every time. For each bill, the owner gets a clear answer by 7 days before the date the care is needed: either a donor paid it and there is receipt proof, or no donor has come forward yet. Silence is not an outcome — we will not leave anyone waiting in the dark.
If your pet needs care right now, do not wait on us. An emergency cannot wait for a donor. Call your vet or an emergency animal hospital first. If no donor comes forward, we point to other help right away: ask the clinic about a payment plan, CareCredit, or a hardship program, and reach out to a local rescue, humane society, or animal welfare group.
How the money moves. The donor pays the vet clinic directly. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money. The donor pays a separate 5% processing fee to Bills for the Paws, paid separately and on top of the bill amount — the fee is never taken out of the vet bill. A donor can also add a small optional tip on top if they want — a tip goes a long way, but it is never required and never taken out of the bill. Bills for the Paws is not a registered nonprofit, and gifts are not tax-deductible. Payments are not live for a real bill yet — they start only once verification and the legal and tax setup are ready.
The whole point: keeping pets home. A vet bill should never be the reason a loved dog or cat ends up surrendered to a shelter. Everything here exists so a best friend stays with the family that loves them.
The founder: Jerry
Jerry is a U.S. Marine veteran and a 100% disabled veteran, living in Macomb, Michigan — and he is a dog person to the bone. He has had dogs his whole life. Today he has three of them, and he will tell you plainly what they are to him: they are his therapy on a daily basis. On the hard days, they are the reason he gets up, gets moving, and gets through it.
He also knows the other side of loving a dog: the vet bill on the kitchen table, and the feeling that comes with it. A bill you cannot pay, staring you down, while your best friend is hurting and the clock keeps moving. He built Bills for the Brave because he knew that feeling from a household bill. He built Bills for the Paws because he knows it from a vet bill — and he knows thousands of families are sitting with that same feeling right now, wondering if anyone will step in before they have to make an impossible choice.
He has had dogs his whole life. His three dogs are his therapy every day. Bills for the Paws is what he built so nobody has to choose between a vet bill and their best friend.
So Jerry founded Bills for the Paws — CEO and founder, the same role he holds at Bills for the Brave. Not a big, vague promise, and not help that disappears into a system — one pet, one real vet bill, and a person with the means paying that bill straight to the clinic, down to zero. When that bill is gone, a best friend gets their care, and stays home. That simple idea is the heart of everything on this page.
Jerry is the founder — and founder only. He is not the first owner in line to be helped, and he does not take a request ahead of anyone. He started Bills for the Paws for other people’s pets. His job here is to stand behind the promise on this page: check each bill, match owners with donors, and keep every word here honest. When the first pet’s bill is paid through this page, that owner will tell what it meant — in their own words.
Who he is: U.S. Marine veteran, 100% disabled veteran
Home: Macomb, Michigan
His dogs: Three dogs at home — dogs his whole life, and his therapy on a daily basis
Role here: Founder and CEO of Bills for the Paws — founder only, not the first owner to be helped. Also founder of Bills for the Brave, its sister project for veterans’ bills
Why he started it: He knows what a vet bill you cannot pay feels like, and he wants families facing one to have someone who can step in — before a pet loses care, or loses their home
What happens next: When the first pet’s vet bill is paid directly to the clinic with help found through this page, that story will be shared here, in that owner’s own words and with their permission.
Privacy: An owner’s and pet’s details are shared only with a matched patron, with that owner’s permission. Nothing about anyone’s private accounts is posted on this page.
The vet bills that break hearts
Any one of these can be the bill that forces an impossible choice. You can submit any vet bill, at any amount — plus the everyday help that keeps a pet fed, medicated, and home.
Emergency careA night at the emergency vet
SurgeryThe operation they can’t wait for
DentalTeeth, pain, and infection
Medication & ongoing careThe prescription that can’t lapse
Diagnostics & treatmentX-rays, tests, cancer care
Pet food & essentialsA bag of food when money’s tight
Vet bill help in Michigan, by need
Bills for the Paws is based in Macomb, Michigan, and helps pet owners in Michigan and across the United States. Whatever the bill is, the way it works is the same — here it is in plain words for the needs owners ask about most. For every bill below: any vet bill, any amount; a donor pays the vet clinic directly and Bills for the Paws never collects or holds bill money; the donor pays a separate 5% processing fee on top of the bill; it costs $5 to submit a request (flat $5.00 processing fee, non-refundable, with no guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid); only 3 bills are taken at a time; and you get a clear answer by 7 days before the date care is needed. Start in the Request help section below.
Help paying an emergency vet bill
If your dog or cat has been hurt or is suddenly very sick and the emergency vet bill is more than you have, you can ask Bills for the Paws for help with it — any emergency bill, any amount. A donor pays the emergency clinic directly, down to zero. Bills for the Paws never collects or holds bill money, and the donor pays a separate 5% processing fee on top of the bill, so your bill is still paid in full.
It costs $5 to submit a request — a flat $5.00 processing fee. The fee is non-refundable, and paying it does not guarantee a donor will be found or your bill will be paid — but we will fight hard to find your pet a donor. We take only 3 bills at a time, and you will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date care is needed. An emergency cannot wait: get your pet seen first, and ask the clinic about a payment plan or CareCredit while we look for a donor.
If your pet needs surgery — a broken bone, a blocked bladder, a tumor, a torn knee — and the estimate is out of reach, you can ask Bills for the Paws for help with it: any surgery bill, any amount, with no dollar limit. A donor pays the vet clinic directly. Bills for the Paws never collects or holds bill money, and the donor pays a separate 5% processing fee on top of the bill, so the surgery is still paid in full.
It costs $5 to submit a request — a flat $5.00 processing fee. The fee is non-refundable, and paying it does not guarantee a donor will be found or your bill will be paid — but we will fight hard to find your pet a donor. We take only 3 bills at a time, and you will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date care is needed. If no donor comes forward, ask the clinic about staging the care or a payment plan, and reach out to a local rescue or humane society right away.
Dental pain is quiet suffering — a dog or cat who stops eating, paws at their mouth, or just isn’t themselves. If your pet needs dental work you cannot afford, you can ask Bills for the Paws for help: any dental bill, any amount, including extractions and treatment for infection. A donor pays the vet clinic directly. Bills for the Paws never collects or holds bill money, and the donor pays a separate 5% processing fee on top of the bill, so your bill is still paid in full.
It costs $5 to submit a request — a flat $5.00 processing fee. The fee is non-refundable, and paying it does not guarantee a donor will be found or your bill will be paid — but we will fight hard to find your pet a donor. We take only 3 bills at a time, and you will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date care is needed.
Some bills don’t come once — they come every month. Insulin, heart medication, seizure medication, allergy treatment, arthritis care. If your pet’s ongoing medication or treatment is about to lapse because money is tight, you can ask Bills for the Paws for help: any medication or treatment bill, any amount. A donor pays the vet clinic or pharmacy directly. Bills for the Paws never collects or holds bill money, and the donor pays a separate 5% processing fee on top of the bill, so the bill is still paid in full.
It costs $5 to submit a request — a flat $5.00 processing fee. The fee is non-refundable, and paying it does not guarantee a donor will be found or your bill will be paid — but we will fight hard to find your pet a donor. We take only 3 bills at a time, and you will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date help is needed. Never let a critical medication lapse while you wait — tell your vet the situation and ask about lower-cost options the same day.
Sometimes the bill isn’t at the vet at all. Sometimes it’s an empty food bag at the end of a hard month. Bills for the Paws helps with pet food too, because a family that can feed their pet is a family that can keep their pet — and keeping pets home, out of shelters, is the whole point. A donor pays the store directly, or covers a food order. Bills for the Paws never collects or holds the money, and the donor pays a separate 5% processing fee on top.
It costs $5 to submit a request — a flat $5.00 processing fee. The fee is non-refundable, and paying it does not guarantee a donor will be found — but we will fight hard to find one. We take only 3 requests at a time, and you will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date help is needed. If no donor comes forward, many local shelters and humane societies run pet food pantries — ask yours, they would rather feed your pet than take your pet.
This is the vet bill help request form for owners who need help paying for a pet’s care — emergency care, surgery, dental work, medication, diagnostics, ongoing treatment, or pet food help, at any amount. Fill in every field marked with a *. One pet, one bill per request: if you have more than one bill, fill out a separate request for each one. Please read the plain words below first — they say what we can do, and what we cannot promise.
Before you fill this out — please read this first
Cost to submit: $5 — read this before you fill out the form. Submitting a request costs a flat $5.00 processing fee. Paying the $5 does NOT guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid, and the fee is non-refundable. We will fight hard to find your pet a donor. The $5 payment button will appear in the cost box below once payment setup is ready. No money is collected through this form itself.
Filling out this form does NOT guarantee your bill will be paid. We share verified bills with donors, but we cannot promise a donor will step forward, and we cannot promise one will step forward by any date.
If your pet needs emergency care right now, get care first. Do not let this form slow down an emergency. Call your vet or an emergency animal hospital, then come back here.
This form does NOT send or store anything. It does not go to us by itself. When you press the button, it creates request text you can copy. You must send that text to us yourself, in a message to the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page. Until you send it, we have not received your request.
Never put private details in this form. Never include bank details, card numbers, passwords, or Social Security numbers — not here, and not in the Facebook message. This form never asks for those, and nobody needs them in a first message.
Any vet bill, any amount. You can submit any vet bill — emergency care, surgery, dental, medication, diagnostics, or ongoing treatment — at any amount. Pet food help counts too.
You will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date care is needed. One of two things: a donor paid your bill and there is receipt proof, or no donor has come forward yet. Silence is not an outcome — we will not leave you waiting without an answer.
If no donor comes forward, do not wait on us alone. We will point you to other help right away: ask your clinic about a payment plan, CareCredit, or a hardship program, and reach out to a local rescue, humane society, or pet food pantry.
How payment works, when it happens. A donor pays your vet clinic directly — Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money. The donor also pays a separate 5% processing fee to Bills for the Paws, paid separately and on top of your bill, so your bill is still paid in full. Bills for the Paws is not a registered nonprofit, and gifts are not tax-deductible. Payments are not live for a real bill yet — they start only once verification and the legal and tax setup are ready.
We take only 3 bills at a time. When those 3 are paid or closed, we take the next 3. If we are full, this is where it will say so, in plain words: “We are full right now — please check back.” If you do not see that message here, we are still taking requests, up to 3 at a time.
Cost to submit a request: $5
Before you submit, the cost is plain: a flat $5.00 processing fee to submit a request. That is the total — there is no extra fee added on top for owners.
Cost to submit a request
What it is
Amount
What it covers
Processing fee (flat)
$5.00
Processing your request
Total to submit a request
$5.00
We will fight hard to find your pet a donor. Paying the $5 does NOT guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid, and the fee is non-refundable.
This $5 processing fee is separate from the donor’s fee. When a donor pays a bill, the donor pays the vet clinic directly — not through Bills for the Paws, which does not collect or hold bill money — and pays a separate 5% processing fee to Bills for the Paws, on top of the bill amount. That 5% fee is never taken out of the vet bill. Example: on a $200 vet bill, the donor pays $200 directly to the clinic plus a separate $10 (5%) processing fee — $210 in total.
Pay the $5 fee with the button below, then fill out the form and send your request text to the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page, as described below. The fee is non-refundable, and paying does NOT guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid. No money is collected through the form on this page.
If you have the means, this is the most direct kind of help there is. You don’t fund a program. You erase a balance — and a best friend gets their care, and stays home. And you can see that it happened.
What you’re being asked to do
Choose one vet bill, or part of one bill.
Pay the vet clinic directly — never send cash to an individual, and never send bill money through Bills for the Paws. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money.
You pay the bill amount to the clinic, plus a separate 5% processing fee to Bills for the Paws, on top: a $200 bill costs $210 in total, and the bill itself is paid in full.
Optional tip — only if you want: you can add a small tip on top for Bills for the Paws. A small tip goes a long way — it keeps the lights on here so the next bill can get paid. It’s separate from the bill and the 5% fee, and saying no changes nothing.
Get the receipt, and let the owner know it’s done.
The ground rules that protect everyone
The pet, the owner, and the need are confirmed before a vet bill is shared with a patron.
The bill or estimate itself is checked — amount, clinic, and date care is needed — before anyone pays.
Owners share only what they agree to share. Nobody’s identity is shared unless they choose it.
Every patron chooses: share a first name, or stay anonymous. That choice is always honored — see Thank-yous below.
No bill is promised until a patron actually commits to it.
A small tip goes a long way
When you pay a vet bill, you’ll have the chance to add a small optional tip for Bills for the Paws — on top of the bill and the 5% fee, never instead of them, and never taken out of the bill. It keeps the lights on here so the next bill can get paid: the checking, the matching, and the keeping-this-page-going work. Add $5, $10, $20 — whatever feels right — or add nothing at all. Optional means optional. The pet gets the same help either way, and the bill is paid in full either way. You can pick your tip right in the “I want to pay a vet bill” builder below, and it will be written into your message so there’s no confusion about what’s bill, what’s fee, and what’s tip.
Donor payments for a real, verified bill are not live yet. When verification is ready, the separate 5% processing fee — and any optional tip a donor chooses to add — will be paid through a Stripe fee link.
Thank-yous — your name, your choice
When a stranger pays your best friend’s vet bill, “thank you” is the first thing you want to say. This is how that works here — built so nobody’s identity is ever shared unless they choose it themselves.
Donors choose: first name, or anonymous
When a donor pays a vet bill, they pick one of two ways to be thanked:
“Show my first name” — the donor shares their first name only, and the owner may thank them by that first name.
“Stay anonymous” — no name is ever shared, with anyone. The owner’s thank-you goes out to “an anonymous friend,” and that is exactly as warm as it sounds.
There is no third option and no fine print: nobody’s identity — donor or owner — is shared unless they choose it.
How the choice reaches us — plainly
Donors pay the vet clinic directly. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money, and no payment here is tracked automatically — so we cannot see who paid, or what they chose, on our own.
The donor tells us their choice themselves — in the message they send when they offer to help (the builder below has a spot for exactly this), or when they confirm the bill is paid.
We pass along only what the donor chose: a first name, or “anonymous.” Nothing else, ever.
If a donor never tells us a choice, we treat them as anonymous. Silence always means anonymous here.
Owners: saying thank you
You can post a thank-you on the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page if you want to, once your pet’s bill is paid — in your own words, with a photo of your best friend if you’d like. It is always your choice; nobody is ever required to post one.
You may thank your donor by first name only if they chose “show my first name.” If they chose to stay anonymous, thank “an anonymous friend” — never guess at, hunt for, or share a name you were not given.
Your identity is protected the same way. A thank-you post uses only what you choose to put in it. You never have to share your full name, where you live, or anything about your situation beyond what you write yourself.
A copy-and-paste thank-you template is in the Facebook section below, ready whenever you are.
Where the money goes — and how this stays alive
100% of the bill amount goes to the clinic
When someone gives to pay a vet bill, the donor pays the vet clinic directly — not through Bills for the Paws. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money. The full bill amount goes to the clinic, and the bill is paid in full. Nothing is taken out of the bill amount. The donor pays a separate 5% processing fee to Bills for the Paws, on top of the bill amount — see the example below.
Not a charity — yet. Bills for the Paws is not a registered nonprofit, and a gift through it is a personal gift, not a tax-deductible donation. That means people who help a pet owner here do not get a tax break for that gift. That will be said plainly anywhere money is discussed, until and unless that status changes. Talk to a tax professional about your own situation before relying on any deduction.
The 5% processing fee — how Jerry earns from this
Jerry built this and runs it, and he hopes it can support him. The fee is paid by the donor, separately to Bills for the Paws and on top of the bill, so the vet bill is still paid in full: a $200 bill costs the donor $210 in total — $200 paid directly to the clinic, plus a $10 processing fee to Bills for the Paws for Jerry’s time verifying bills, matching patrons, and keeping the page going. It is always shown before anyone pays, and it is never taken from the bill amount.
And the optional tip. On top of the bill and the 5% fee, a donor can choose to add a small tip for Bills for the Paws — only if they want to. A small tip goes a long way — it keeps the lights on here so the next bill can get paid. The tip is always optional, always separate from the bill and the fee, and never taken out of the bill amount. No tip? No problem, and no difference in how hard we work on that bill.
An owner pays a flat $5.00 processing fee to submit a vet bill help request. Paying the $5 does NOT guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid, and the fee is non-refundable. That $5 fee is separate from the donor’s 5% processing fee above. The $5 payment button will appear in the “Request help with a vet bill” section above once payment setup is ready, and no money is collected through the form on this page. Donor payments for a real, verified bill are not live yet: they start only once verification is ready, and the separate 5% processing fee — plus any optional tip the donor chooses — will be paid through a Stripe fee link at that time. The remaining setup work — the verification process, and tax and legal advice — is listed below, in the open.
Example: a $200 vet bill
The split, shown plainly — the bill is paid in full, the processing fee sits on top, and a tip is there only if the donor chooses one.
What it is
Amount
Goes to
Bill amount — paid in full, directly to the vet clinic
$200
The vet clinic
Processing fee (5%, paid by the donor, separately to Bills for the Paws)
$10
Bills for the Paws
Total the donor pays — no tip
$210
Optional tip — only if the donor chooses it (example: $10 tip)
+$10
Bills for the Paws
Total with that example tip
$220
A small tip goes a long way — it keeps the lights on here so the next bill can get paid. But it is always optional: $210 is the full cost with no tip, and the bill is paid in full either way.
More ways to keep the lights on
Paying a vet bill is the heart of this — but it is not the only way to keep it going. Three more ways are being set up now, and every one of them follows the same rule as everything else here: none of this money ever touches a vet bill. Donors still pay clinics directly, and Bills for the Paws still does not collect or hold bill money. This money is what keeps the page running — the checking, the matching, and Jerry’s time.
Local business sponsors
Run a vet clinic, a pet store, a grooming shop, a pet-sitting business — or any local business that loves animals? Your business can sponsor Bills for the Paws for a flat monthly amount, and in return your business is named right here on this page as a sponsor, where every owner and donor who visits will see it.
Plain words: a sponsorship is advertising, not a donation — it is not a tax-deductible gift, and it buys a sponsor spot, not a say in which bills get shared. Sponsor money never touches a vet bill.
Sponsor spots are being set up now. Jerry is also visiting local vet offices and pet businesses in person. To get your business on the list, message the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page — there is a ready-to-copy pitch in the Facebook section below.
The Guardians — monthly donor club
$10 / month
Guardians are the steady ones: people who give $10 a month to keep Bills for the Paws running month after month, instead of waiting for one big bill to come along. Steady support means the lights stay on between bills.
In return, Guardians get a first look at new vet bills looking for a donor, and a thank-you on the Facebook Page. Club money supports the running of the site — it is separate from bill money, and it is not a tax-deductible donation.
Sign-up opens once payment setup is ready — nobody is being charged yet. To be in the first group of Guardians, message the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page.
Bills for Good merch
Shop coming soon
Bills for Good is the family name over all three projects — Bills for the Brave, Bills for the Paws, and Bills for Seniors. T-shirts, sweatshirts, and stickers with the hand-drawn paw shield, including the simple one-colour stamp version made for printing. Pick your colour below — prices are set:
The full set, shown in Orange — the t-shirt, the hooded sweatshirt, and the sticker. Shirts also come in Navy, Black, and White.
T-shirt
$25
The paw shield on a classic tee — the one people see first, and ask about.
Colour: Orange
Sweatshirt
$45
The hooded sweatshirt from the photo — warm, soft, and carrying the shield all winter.
Colour: Orange
Sticker
$5
The round paw shield sticker — for the truck, the laptop, the clinic door.
Colour: Orange, as shown in the photo.
Merch is print-on-demand — there is no stockpile of shirts sitting in a garage. When someone orders a shirt or sweatshirt, our print partner prints it and ships it straight to them. Nothing is made until it is ordered, so nothing goes to waste.
Plain words: buying merch is a purchase, not a donation — it is not a tax-deductible gift. The money from merch keeps the three sites running; it never touches a vet bill. Donors still pay clinics directly, and Bills for the Paws still never collects or holds bill money.
Every shirt worn and every sticker stuck is also an advertisement money can’t buy: someone sees the shield, asks what it is, and hears how a stranger’s vet bill got paid.
The shop is not open yet — coming soon. Those are the prices when it opens — there is no order link yet and nothing can be bought today. Pick your colours now so you’re ready, and watch the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page for the announcement first.
Sponsor spots are open. This is where our local business sponsors will be named — your business could be the first one here. Message the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page and ask about sponsoring.
Get started — in your own words
For the full vet bill help request — with the clinic owed, the amount, and the date care is needed — use the request help with a vet bill form above. The two builders below make shorter messages in your own words. Nothing on this page sends or stores anything you type. Fill in the boxes, then copy your words and paste them wherever you reach out — Facebook, email, or a message. Nothing leaves this page until you do it yourself.
My pet needs help
Share only what you’re comfortable sharing. Never include bank details, card numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, or full bills in a public post.
I want to pay a vet bill
A small tip goes a long way — it keeps the lights on here so the next bill can get paid. The tip is always optional and separate from the bill and the 5% fee — it is paid to Bills for the Paws on top, never taken out of the bill. No tip is just fine.
You pay the clinic directly, so nothing about you is tracked automatically — this choice reaches us only because you tell us, right here. If you never tell us, we treat you as anonymous.
You’ll pay the vet clinic directly — never send cash to an individual, and never send bill money through Bills for the Paws, which does not collect or hold bill money. There is no donor payment link for a real bill yet — donor payments start only once verification is ready. When they do, you’ll pay the separate 5% processing fee to Bills for the Paws on top of the bill amount ($210 total for a $200 bill), plus any optional tip you chose above. Ask for the bill and the receipt before and after you pay.
Ready to copy to Facebook
Everything Jerry needs to set up the Facebook page, word for word. Copy a block, paste it into Facebook, done.
Page name
Use this exact name so people find the same page everywhere.
Bills for the Paws
About section
Bills for the Paws connects people who have the means with pet owners who have a vet bill they cannot pay.
An owner shares one real vet bill. A patron chooses it. The payment goes straight to the vet clinic — down to zero. A best friend gets their care, and stays home.
Founded by Jerry, a U.S. Marine veteran in Macomb, Michigan, who has had dogs his whole life — three at home today, and they are his therapy every day. Sister project to Bills for the Brave.
Not a registered nonprofit. Gifts are personal gifts, not tax-deductible donations.
First post
I served in the Marine Corps from 1998 to 2002. I came home, and through every hard year since, there have been dogs.
I've had dogs my whole life. I have three right now, and I'll say it plain: they are my therapy on a daily basis. On my worst days, they are the reason I get up.
So I started Bills for the Paws — the sister project to Bills for the Brave.
Here's the idea, simple as I can say it: if you have the means — millionaires, billionaires, or just someone doing well — you pick one pet's real vet bill and pay it straight to the vet clinic that's owed. Not to a stranger's pocket. To the clinic. Down to zero. The dog gets the surgery. The cat gets the medicine. And that best friend stays home, with the family that loves them, instead of being surrendered over one bill.
I'm the founder — I started this for other people's pets, not to put mine first in line. When a pet's bill gets paid through here, that owner will be the one to tell you what it felt like.
If your pet has a vet bill you can't pay, or you're someone who can pay one, message this Page and tell us in your own words.
Please share this. One share might be the person who keeps a best friend home.
— Jerry
Short version, for sharing anywhere
Bills for the Paws: people with the means pay a struggling pet owner's vet bill straight to the clinic — down to zero, so best friends get their care and stay home. Founded by Jerry, a Marine veteran and lifelong dog person in Michigan.
Sponsor pitch — for local businesses
For Jerry to send or say when visiting a vet office, pet store, or any local business. Sponsorship is advertising, not a donation — keep that wording exactly as written.
Hello — I'm Jerry, a Marine veteran from Macomb, Michigan. I run Bills for the Paws: people with the means pay a struggling pet owner's vet bill straight to the clinic, down to zero, so best friends get their care and stay home.
I'm looking for local business sponsors. For a flat monthly amount, your business is named on the Bills for the Paws website as a sponsor, where pet owners and donors will see it every day.
Plain words, so there's no confusion: a sponsorship is advertising, not a donation — it's not tax-deductible, and sponsor money never touches a vet bill. Donors pay clinics directly; I never collect or hold bill money. What sponsors pay for is keeping the page running — the checking, the matching, and my time.
If you'd like your business to be one of the first sponsors named on the page, message this Page and we'll talk numbers. Thank you for helping keep best friends home.
— Jerry, Bills for the Paws
Guardians announcement — monthly donor club
For the launch post when sign-up opens. Do not post until the payment setup is ready.
🐾 Introducing the Guardians — the Bills for the Paws monthly donor club.
For $10 a month, Guardians keep this page running: the checking of every bill, the matching of owners with donors, and the lights staying on between bills. In return, Guardians get a first look at new vet bills looking for a donor, and a thank-you right here on this Page.
Plain words: club money supports the running of the site. It is separate from vet bill money — donors still pay clinics directly, and I never collect or hold bill money. It is not a tax-deductible donation.
Want to be one of the first Guardians? Message this Page and say "Guardian," and I'll put your name on the list for the day sign-up opens.
A small tip goes a long way — and a Guardian goes a long way every month. 🐾
— Jerry
Thank-you post — for owners whose pet was helped
For after a bill is paid, if the owner wants to post one. Use the donor’s first name only if they chose “show my first name” — if they stayed anonymous, use the “anonymous friend” version and never share a name you were not given. Swap in your own pet’s name and your own words.
Our best friend got their care — and we get to keep them home. 🐾
[Pet’s name] needed [the care], and the bill was more than we could carry. Because of [donor’s first name / an anonymous friend] through Bills for the Paws, that bill is paid in full, straight to the clinic.
Thank you. You didn’t just pay a bill — you kept a family together.
— [Your first name, only if you want to share it]
Before the first dollar moves
This page is the start, not the finish. These steps come before any vet bill is paid directly to a clinic with help found through Bills for the Paws — listed here so nobody has to take it on trust.
Set up payment for the $5 processing fee and the Stripe fee link for the separate 5% processing fee only: submitting a request costs a flat $5.00 processing fee (non-refundable, with no guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid), donors pay clinics directly, Bills for the Paws never collects or holds bill money, receipts are kept for every payment, and both fees — plus the optional donor tip, if a donor chooses one — are shown before anyone pays. Donor payments for a real, verified bill — and the Stripe fee link for the separate 5% fee and any optional tip — start only once that setup and verification are ready.
Build the pet and bill check: a clear, respectful way to confirm the pet and owner and confirm each bill or estimate with the clinic before it is shared.
Get tax and legal advice: confirm how gifts, the 5% processing fee, and any future nonprofit status should be handled — before money moves.
Set up sponsors, the Guardians club, and merch: the sponsor spots, the $10-a-month Guardians club, and Bills for Good merch in the Sponsors, club & merch section — t-shirts $25, sweatshirts $45, stickers $5, printed and shipped by our print partner when someone orders — open only once payment setup is ready. Prices are set, but nobody is charged and nothing is sold before then.
Create the Facebook page with the name and wording above, and keep this website and the page saying the same thing.
Build the app version: a separate installable app for phones, with accounts and matching between pet owners and patrons. This website is step one — it is not the app, and no app download exists yet.
Questions people will ask
Has anyone been helped yet?
Not yet. This is day one. The first vet bill paid directly to the clinic after being matched through Bills for the Paws will be shared here — in that pet owner’s own words — when it happens.
Is this a charity? Can I deduct my gift?
No. Bills for the Paws is not a registered nonprofit, and gifts are personal gifts, not tax-deductible donations — so people who help a pet owner here do not get a tax break for that gift. If that status ever changes, it will be stated here first. If you are unsure about your own taxes, ask a tax professional — do not rely on a deduction from a gift made here.
How does someone ask for help with a vet bill?
Use the vet bill help request form above: first name, how to reach you, your pet’s name and kind, the kind of care, the vet clinic owed, the amount, and the date care is needed. Submitting a request costs a flat $5.00 processing fee, and paying it does not guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid; the fee is non-refundable. The form does not send or store anything — it turns your answers into request text you copy and send to us yourself, in a message to the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page. Filling it out does not guarantee your bill will be paid. We take only 3 bills at a time — any vet bill, any amount — and you will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date care is needed. Never include bank details, card numbers, passwords, or Social Security numbers.
Is my bill guaranteed to be paid? What if no donor comes forward?
No — filling out the request form does not guarantee your bill will be paid, and we cannot promise a donor will step forward or by what date. We take only 3 bills at a time — any vet bill, any amount. For each bill, you will get a clear answer by 7 days before the date care is needed: either a donor paid it, with receipt proof, or no donor has come forward yet. If no donor comes forward, do not wait on us alone — ask your clinic about a payment plan, CareCredit, or a hardship program, and reach out to a local rescue, humane society, or pet food pantry. And if your pet needs emergency care, get that care first, always.
Does Jerry take a cut of bill gifts?
No. Jerry does not take a cut out of a vet bill: the donor pays the vet clinic directly, 100% of the bill amount goes to the clinic, and the bill is paid in full. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money. The donor pays a separate 5% processing fee on top of the bill amount, paid separately to Bills for the Paws — a $200 bill costs the donor $210 in total: $200 to the clinic, plus a $10 processing fee for Jerry’s time running the site. A donor may also choose to add a small optional tip on top — that tip is separate too, and is never taken out of the bill. Donor payments for a real, verified bill are not live yet — they start only once verification is ready, and the separate fee will be paid through a Stripe fee link at that time.
What does a donor pay in total?
The vet bill amount plus a separate 5% processing fee on top, paid separately to Bills for the Paws. For example, a $200 vet bill costs the donor $210 in total: $200 paid directly to the vet clinic and $10 is the processing fee. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money, and the vet bill is paid in full. Donor payments for a real, verified bill are not live yet — they start only once verification is ready, and the fee will be paid through a Stripe fee link at that time.
Can I add a tip as a donor?
Yes — only if you want to. On top of the vet bill and the separate 5% processing fee, you can add a small optional tip for Bills for the Paws. A small tip goes a long way — it keeps the lights on here so the next bill can get paid. The tip is always optional, always separate from the bill and the 5% fee, and never taken out of the bill amount — so the bill is still paid in full. Add $5, $10, $20, or any amount in the “I want to pay a vet bill” builder above, or add nothing at all. Saying no to a tip changes nothing.
Can a local business sponsor Bills for the Paws?
Yes. Local businesses — vet clinics, pet stores, groomers, pet sitters, and any business that loves animals — can sponsor Bills for the Paws for a flat monthly amount, and in return the business is named on this page as a sponsor. Sponsorship is advertising, not a donation: it is not a tax-deductible gift, and sponsor money never touches a vet bill — donors still pay clinics directly, and Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money. Sponsor spots are being set up now; message the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page to get on the list. See Sponsors, club & merch above.
What is the Guardians monthly donor club?
The Guardians are monthly supporters who give $10 a month to help keep Bills for the Paws running. Guardians get a first look at new vet bills looking for a donor, and a thank-you on the Facebook Page. Club money supports the running of the site — it is separate from vet bill money, which donors always pay directly to the clinic — and it is not a tax-deductible donation. Sign-up opens once payment setup is ready, and nobody is being charged yet; message the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page to join the first group of Guardians.
Is there Bills for Good merch?
Yes — prices are set. Bills for Good is the family name over Bills for the Brave, Bills for the Paws, and Bills for Seniors. A t-shirt with the hand-drawn paw shield is $25, a sweatshirt is $45, and a sticker is $5. Merch is print-on-demand: there is no upfront inventory, and shirts and sweatshirts are printed and shipped by our print partner when someone orders. Buying merch is a purchase, not a donation, and it is not tax-deductible. Money from merch helps keep the three sites running and never touches a vet bill — donors still pay clinics directly. The shop is not open yet and there is no order link yet — watch the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page for the announcement.
Does it cost anything to ask for help?
Yes — submitting a request costs a flat $5.00 processing fee. Paying the $5 does NOT guarantee a donor will be found or a bill will be paid, and the fee is non-refundable. This $5 fee is separate from the 5% processing fee paid separately by the donor, on top of the bill amount. No money is collected through the form on this page.
How do I know a bill is real?
Before a vet bill is shared with a patron, the pet and owner are confirmed and the bill or estimate is checked — amount, clinic, and date care is needed. Patrons pay the vet clinic directly and keep the receipt. Bills for the Paws does not collect or hold bill money.
My pet needs help right now. What should I do?
Get care first. Call your vet or an emergency animal hospital immediately — an emergency cannot wait for a donor, and no form on this page should slow that down. Then, when your pet is being seen, come back and submit a request here; we will do everything we can to find a donor for the bill.
Can I stay anonymous as a donor?
Yes — completely. When you offer to pay a vet bill, you choose: “show my first name,” or “stay anonymous.” Because donors pay the vet clinic directly and Bills for the Paws never collects or holds bill money, nothing about you is tracked automatically — your choice reaches us only because you tell us, in your message. If you never tell us a choice, we treat you as anonymous. If you stay anonymous, no name is ever shared, and any thank-you will simply say “an anonymous friend.”
How do thank-yous work?
Once a pet’s vet bill is paid, the owner can post a thank-you on the Bills for the Paws Facebook Page if they want to — it is always their choice, never a requirement. They may thank the donor by first name only if the donor chose “show my first name.” If the donor chose to stay anonymous, the thank-you goes to “an anonymous friend.” Nobody’s identity — donor or owner — is shared unless they choose it themselves. See the Thank-yous section above.
Is there an app I can download?
Not yet. There is no installable app and no app download. This website is the first version, and it works in a phone’s browser. Building a separate app — with accounts and matching — is on the list above, after payments and verification are set up.
I don’t have much. Can I still help?
Yes. Part of a vet bill still moves a balance toward zero, and sharing this page costs nothing. One share can reach the person who can pay the whole thing.
