With the cost of living being what it is this could potentially be useful to someone.
Unfortunately not every state currently has a participating clinic but there are different locations around Australia.
I’m also going to piggyback on this to say that even if you’re not homeless but just in financial hardship some pet shops will give you the expired but still usable parasite treatments for your pet if you ask. For free. And possibly also pet food. At least Petstock in Melbourne does.
Please avoid buying flea products for cats from the supermarket as they may be contaminated with or contain pyrethrins which are toxic to cats. Aristopet flea and worm spot ons are the much cheaper generic version of another brand and are recommended if you can’t afford the premium brands. (I’m aware Aristopet is stocked in supermarkets too but due to that I checked with a pet shop manager that this product was okay.) Purina I’m told is not so good.
Edit: Please don’t buy a higher dosage of parasite treatment (or other meds) and split it between pets to save money. This may be alright with very safe OTC supplements like Zylkene and you may open a capsule or break a tablet to give half if your vet says to. But the reason it isn’t really safe to split up a larger dose of medication between animals or multiple administrations is that the drug isn’t always equally distributed through the whole of it, so one part may have way too much of the drug and another not enough. Flea products intended for dogs can also kill cats.
It’s possible to get pet meds cheaper online if you get the prescription from the vet and submit it to the website. There will be a delay due to mailing it out but this is legit.
Also check if there are local pet food pantries. Some human food pantries may also give pet food.
In Melbourne Lort Smith gives concession discounts and offers payment plans. Open Pay is available at other practices.
Pets Of The Homeless is another great resource. (Their aim is to offer enough help for you to keep your pet through tough times so they will NOT take your pet away. In fact they don’t even accept surrenders.) They also offer emergency boarding, low cost desexing, a pet food bank, and a one-off cover of a medical procedure in your pet’s lifetime.
Edit: There’s also Best Mates run by Dr Jason Rapke in Glen Iris.
Low cost desexing may also be offered by The Cat Protection Society, RSPCA or through your local council.
Hope this helps someone 🤞
I was waiting for Aristopet spot ons to come back in stock as a 3 pack for <4kg cats was $20. This is very good value and was recommended as safe. Unfortunately they’re no longer listed on the site and other sellers are gouging.
I’ve found Neovet which has the same ingredients and a similar price point at ~$25 for the same size, however I’m unfamiliar with the brand. It also carries a warning to not apply it to dogs, use with caution in sick underweight or debilitated cats and safety has not been established in pregnant or lactating cats. Not sure if that’s standard for these ingredients so probably ask someone who would know. But it has good reviews. https://www.budgetpetproducts.com.au/product/neovet-for-cats-over-4kg-3-pack/22888
Adding that Aristopet ear canker drops are really well priced but contain pyrethrins so probably don’t use them on cats. Because toxic.
Please don’t use onion, garlic, or tea tree oil (or any essential oils) as a budget option to treat fleas or ear infections either. Toxic to cats and possibly dogs.
Also this site is a good guide to sussing out cat and dog food. https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/
I’m especially looking at Australian cat foods. But the ‘best cat food’ page has a few budget suggestions a bit down the page.
I’m looking for affordable kibble for a stray that isn’t too bad as I’ve seen reports of cheap dry foods like Moggybix and Friskies causing kidney disease and urinary blockages. And while I was using Smitten wet food for a little while apparently the dry food version is bad too. As is Whiskas.
Obviously do what you have to do but it’s not great to feed stuff like this long term as it can lead to massive vet bills. And note that while there definitely are reasons to also use dry kibble, even a cheap wet food seems to be better value and fewer health problems than dry. It’s much better for their kidneys.