Oscar Newman

Paying for veterinary care for pets can be tough for many pet owners, especially when they are strained with other bills. In many instances, pet owners who are faced with unexpected, costly vet care may have no choice but to end a pet's life prematurely, or surrender their pets. In light of this, Oscar Newman LLC a pet supply company specializing in exclusive pet clothing and accessories, and USDA-certified organic treats announced that they have created Violet’s Friends in Need program, a fund designed to help pets and their owners by providing financial assistance for urgent or critical veterinary care.

For Charisa Antigua, CEO and co-founder of Oscar Newman LLC, the strain of large, unexpected vet bills was all too familiar. She shouldered the burden of huge vet bills on two separate occasions: when her cat, Amanda incurred unexpected bills due to bile duct cancer, which required surgery and post-op care, and then with her Yorkie, Violet, the namesake of the program, who required on-going vet care for eight months due to a brain tumor. “Pet owners see their pets as members of their family,” said Charisa Antigua. “And when they are faced with expensive vet treatments, they are often willing to shell out any amount to provide the care needed for their pets. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars on unexpected vet bills, and the alternative choice – usually euthanasia or giving up the animal, is very difficult to say the least.” All too familiar with the painful decision of whether or not one can afford treatment, Charisa wanted to do something to help less fortunate pet owners faced with critical vet care that they cannot afford.

To address this, Violet's Friends in Need program was created. Every time an Oscar Newman or CocoTherapy product is sold, a portion of the sale is contributed to Violet’s fund. Pet owners who need assistance with critical vet care can apply for help on the company’s websites. However, potential applicants should be aware that there are specific prerequisites one must fulfill in order to be considered for financial assistance. “There are many cases that we hear about,” said Carmina O’Connor, President and co-founder. “As much as we’d love to help every case, we need to be selective and choose the animal that will benefit the most from the fund.” The company will evaluate all eligible entries and do due-diligence on each case. Once approved, payment will be made directly to the veterinarian responsible for the treatment or care.

Violet's Friends in Need program is financed solely by Oscar Newman LLC and its brand company CocoTherapy. The program operates under the Pets With Disabilities group (www.petswithdisabilities.org), the program’s sponsoring 501(c)(3) organization.

To learn more about Violet’s fund, please visit: http://www.oscarnewman.com/violet-s-friends-in-need-fund.html.