Pet Emergency Fundraising Guide in Malaysia (Where, Contacts & How)

There's nothing more devastating than not being able to provide your pet the care it needs due to financial restraints. 

So, what can you do when you can't afford surgery or other necessary medical procedures for your pet cat or dog? ‍

The current technological advancements allow everyone to stay connected at all times. Therefore, the online space is an excellent platform for pet owners like you to initiate a fundraising effort.

In this article, we’ll share  a complete guide to fundraise for your pet during times of pet health emergencies. We’ll be sharing four different ways you can successfully crowdfund for your pet.

Let’s get into it. 

Create An Online Fundraiser Campaign 

1. KitaFund

KitaFund is a local crowdfunding platform founded in May 2019 for medical emergencies and humanitarian causes. Within the next two months, KitaFund facilitated about 72 campaigns on their website with over 11,000 contributing funders.

But is KitaFund legit? 

The founding team individually verifies every campaign run on KitaFund to ensure there are no scams and fund abuse. Moreover, details on how much funding is needed and how much has been funded are provided for every campaign.

The transparency and rigid verification process make KitaFund one of the most trusted crowdfunding platforms amongst Malaysians. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a KitaFund crowdfunding page for your pet: 

Step 1: Register for a KitaFund account with your name, username, email address, and password. If you already have an account, you can just directly log in to KitaFund. 

Step 2: Next, click on 'create campaign.' You'll now see options for campaigns (medical, humanitarian, scholarship, or student projects). Choose the type of campaign you'd like to start. For example, if you'd like to crowdfund for emergency vet bill assistance, you can choose the medical campaign.

Step 3: Then, you'll have to fill in a campaign registration form. The purpose of this step is to provide a better understanding of your campaign background. Therefore, include as many accurate details as possible to make your campaign authentic and trustworthy. 

Step 4: Finally, save and submit your campaign application. KitaFund will review your application, and if accepted, KitaFund will launch your campaign. The campaign's duration will be set to 30 days by default, but you can shorten or extend the period if necessary.

Step 5: Usually, you will receive payouts once your campaign ends. That said, you can also withdraw the funds at any other time by declaring the reason for withdrawal. 

KitaFund will not charge you for launching a campaign. However, 5% of each donation transaction will be deducted by KitaFund to cover operating costs. That being so, you should take this commission fee into account when setting your crowdfunding target.

2. GoFundMe

GoFundMe is an American crowdfunding platform. But is there a GoFundMe for pets? The answer is a yes! Apart from that, GoFundMe also supports other categories such as financial emergency, environment, memorial, and many more.

Creating a GoFundMe fundraising campaign allows you to get exposure and reach from donors outside Malaysia. 
However, there are currently only 19 countries supported by GoFundMe, and Malaysia is not one.

Therefore, if you'd like to create a GoFundMe for pets, you must ask a favor from someone in one of the supported countries to initiate the campaign for you.

Reach Out To A Non-Profit Organization (NGO)

Spreading the message about the need for emergency funds plays an integral role in making a pet fundraising effort successful. Firstly, you could post your pet's circumstances on social media accounts.

Keep your post clear, compelling, and personal. Apart from your own social media accounts, here are some Facebook groups you can request to post to as well:

• Caremongering Malaysia
• Animal Fundraising Group
• GoFundMe Animal Campaigns

Secondly, you could also reach out to NGOs or "pet influencers" to help re-post the posts or information on your pet fundraising effort. However, remember that there are many scammers or frauds online these days.

That being the case, some pages will not entertain your message if it's too vague or general. Be as descriptive as possible and send supporting evidence like the vet bills or your pet's photo to increase your chances of being noticed.

Here are a few NGOs and Instagram pages you can reach out to: 

• SPCA Selangor 
• Park My Pets 
• Friendswithstrays
  

Including trending hashtags like #petfundraising or #pethelp can also increase your visibility on the social media front. Be consistent with your posts to get the most out of your social media presence. 

Host A Social Fundraising Event 

Hosting social events is a fun way to raise money for a good cause. In exchange for a good time, attendees can contribute a certain amount towards your fundraising goal.

Dog walks, pet washing, or wholesale bakeries make a fantastic social event that'll undoubtedly attract the attention of many. 

However, the current Covid-19 pandemic makes it challenging to host large events outdoors. But fret not! You can also explore online alternatives such as hosting workshops, sharing sessions, or selling creative merchandise.

Invite and spread the word to everyone in your social contacts to get the most out of these events; who knows, your initiative might even go viral!  

Discuss Payment Options 

1. Pay in instalments

More than often, paying in instalments may be much more manageable than a lump sum bill. Though not all veterinarians accept this payment plan, some definitely do. Try to explain your situation to the vet and ask if they’re willing to spread out your payments over the next few months.

Try not to complain or loathe that you “need money for your pet’s surgery” or you “can’t afford the cost”. This would only stress out the veterinarian. Instead, politely request if it’s possible to split the vet bill into monthly payments. 

2. Subsidize cost with pet insurance

Pet insurances are a live-saver when it comes to emergencies. There are cases of Malaysian pet owners saving RM5,000 in vet bills with insurance coverage. Hence it goes without saying that pet insurance is essential for your pets. 

In Oyen, we cover up to RM8,000 in vet bills—for everything from surgeries and follow-up treatments and everything in between. Get in touch with us today to get a suitable quote for your pet friend.  

And that's the end of the article. We hope this article has helped give you a guide on how to raise emergency funds from pet fundraising in Malaysia. Try these fundraising methods today to give your pet everything it deserves!