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We know the love and support that a pet brings into the lives of people with cancer and their loved ones. Caring for your pet when you have cancer can be challenging, and we are here to help. The Pet Assistance & Wellness Program (PAW) assists people undergoing cancer treatment with the challenges of keeping their cat or dog at home.

Key features of the PAW Program:

  • Education focused on caring for your pets throughout your cancer journey, including guides, fact sheets and videos.
  • Helping Paws, a searchable online database of low-cost and free pet care services.
  • Limited financial assistance to qualified individuals who are in active cancer treatment and share their home with a cat or a dog. This financial assistance will offset some of the expenses associated with pets including pet food; pet walking / sitting and other pet caregiving services; pet boarding fees; veterinarian expenses including vaccinations and appointment fees; flea, tick and heartworm prevention medications; and lab fees.
  • CancerCare’s resource navigation, counseling and support groups, all free-of-charge.

For more information on CancerCare’s Pet Assistance & Wellness Program, call our toll-free Hopeline 800-813-HOPE (4673), staffed Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
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Friends of PAW

  • Daiichi Sankyo
  • Eisai
  • Exelixis
  • Mirati
  • Takeda

Guides

Planning for Your Pet’s Future Care: A Guide to Caring for Your Beloved Pet After You’ve Been Diagnosed With Cancer
CancerCare offers suggestions for how to have ongoing conversations about your cancer diagnosis and your pet’s care with your own health care team and your pet’s veterinarian; tips for finding low-cost or free pet care support resources; guidance on how to find temporary care support such as a foster home; and comprehensive information so you can be fully informed of all your options should you have to make the difficult decision to find a new home for your beloved pet. View our companion video >>
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Fact Sheets

Living With Your Pet After Your Cancer Diagnosis
It can be challenging to know how a cancer diagnosis may affect your relationship with your pet. In this fact sheet, CancerCare offers a few health-related tips on living with a pet after your cancer diagnosis.
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What to Know if You Are Undergoing Chemotherapy and Have a Pet
This fact sheet addresses several precautions you should be mindful of to protect you and your pet’s health while you are undergoing chemotherapy.
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What to Know if You Are Undergoing Radiation Therapy and Have a Pet
This fact sheet addresses several precautions you should be mindful of to protect you and your pet’s health while you are undergoing radiation therapy.
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The Benefits of Sharing Your Life With a Pet
Your pet is a beloved family member who gives unconditional love and support. But did you know sharing your life with a pet also has health benefits?
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What Your Veterinarian Would Like You to Know
Your veterinarian is a key member of your health care team. If you are comfortable, let your veterinarian know about your cancer diagnosis, and discuss the topics addressed here.
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Suggested Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider Team
It is important to talk to your own health care team about your pet. Consider asking these questions at your next appointment.
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Funding for this educational content is made possible by a generous grant from Amie’s Place Foundation, which funds organizations that create no-fee programs dedicated to keeping families and pets together safely.

Pet Care Education

Planning Your Pet’s Future Care

Jen Currin McCulloch, PhD, LMSW, Assistant Professor at Colorado State University’s School of Social Work, and Brian Morvant, CancerCare’s Pet Assistance & Wellness (PAW) Program Manager, offer support for navigating some of the more difficult circumstances you may face when caring for your pet after you’ve been diagnosed with cancer. For more in-depth information on these topics, see our comprehensive guide >>.

What to Know if You Are Undergoing Radiation Therapy and Have a Pet

Dr. Fumiko Chino, a treating radiation oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses what you need to know if you are receiving radiation therapy and have a pet.



Personal Stories

Andrew, Fumiko and Franklin

Watch Dr. Fumiko Chino, a treating radiation oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, share her story of her husband, Andrew, and their cat, Franklin.



Program Overview

CancerCare Keeps Us Together. Narrated by Katie Couric.

CancerCare's Pet Assistance & Wellness (PAW) Program helps people living with cancer and their caregivers care for their pets. Since March 2020, the PAW Program has helped over 3,300 pet owners affected by cancer--and our clients' needs continue to grow. Thank you to Katie Couric, award-winning journalist and cancer advocate, for lending her voice to this important cause.



Funding for these educational videos is made possible by a generous grant from Amie’s Place Foundation, which funds organizations that create no-fee programs dedicated to keeping families and pets together safely.

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